CVE-2025-39805: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: fix unregister_netdev call order in macb_remove() When removing a mac...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: fix unregister_netdev call order in macb_remove() When removing a macb device, the driver calls phy_exit() before unregister_netdev(). This leads to a WARN from kernfs: ------------[ cut here ]------------ kernfs: can not remove 'attached_dev', no directory WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 27146 at fs/kernfs/dir.c:1683 Call trace: kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0xd8/0xf0 sysfs_remove_link+0x24/0x58 phy_detach+0x5c/0x168 phy_disconnect+0x4c/0x70 phylink_disconnect_phy+0x6c/0xc0 [phylink] macb_close+0x6c/0x170 [macb] ... macb_remove+0x60/0x168 [macb] platform_remove+0x5c/0x80 ... The warning happens because the PHY is being exited while the netdev is still registered. The correct order is to unregister the netdev before shutting down the PHY and cleaning up the MDIO bus. Fix this by moving unregister_netdev() ahead of phy_exit() in macb_remove().

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.15%

4.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.18, < 6.12.45	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 6.13, < 6.16.5	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	6.17	Rc1

References

Timeline

Published: Sep 16, 2025
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-39805?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macb: fix unregister_netdev call order in macb_remove() When removing a macb device, the driver calls phy_exit() before unregister_netdev(). This leads to a WARN from kernfs: ------------[ cut here ]------------ kernfs: can not remove 'attached_dev', no directory WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 27146 at fs/kernfs/dir.c:1683 Call trace: kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0xd8/0xf0 sysfs_remove_link+0x24/0x58 phy_detach+0x5c/0x168 phy_disconnect+0x4c/0x70 phylink_disconnect_phy+0x6c/0xc0 [phylink] macb_close+0x6c/0x170 [macb] ... macb_remove+0x60/0x168 [macb] platform_remove+0x5c/0x80 ... The warning happens because the PHY is being exited while the netdev is still registered. The correct order is to unregister the netdev before shutting down the PHY and cleaning up the MDIO bus. Fix this by moving unregister_netdev() ahead of phy_exit() in macb_remove().

How severe is CVE-2025-39805?

CVE-2025-39805 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.15% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2025-39805?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.