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Linux Kernel octeontx2-af NIC SQ Manager Sticky Mode Causes Stalls and Potential PSE Deadlock When Multiple Queues Share an SMQ

Last refreshed2026-09-30

Status: UPDATED  |  Advisory ID: CVE-2026-43296

Key Details

CVECVE-2026-43296
CVSS Score / Version7.5 (High) / CVSS v3.1
Updated2026-06-17
CVSS VectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS Proseattack vector is network; attack complexity is low; privileges required is none; user interaction is none; scope is unchanged; confidentiality impact is none; integrity impact is none; availability impact is high.
Affected productsLinux Linux Kernel
Classified asCWE-667 (Improper Locking)

Affected Products, Subsystems & Sectors

VendorProductAffected VersionsPatch Status
LinuxLinux Kernel
SubsystemsGeneral OT
SectorsAll Sectors

What to Know

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

octeontx2-af: Workaround SQM/PSE stalls by disabling sticky

NIX SQ manager sticky mode is known to cause stalls when multiple SQs

share an SMQ and transmit concurrently. Additionally, PSE may deadlock

on transitions between sticky and non-sticky transmissions. There is

also a credit drop issue observed when certain condition clocks are

gated.

work around these hardware errata by:

- Disabling SQM sticky operation:

- Clear TM6 (bit 15)

- Clear TM11 (bit 14)

- Disabling sticky → non-sticky transition path that can deadlock PSE:

- Clear TM5 (bit 23)

- Preventing credit drops by keeping the control-flow clock enabled:

- Set TM9 (bit 21)

These changes are applied via NIX_AF_SQM_DBG_CTL_STATUS. With this

configuration the SQM/PSE maintain forward progress under load without

credit loss, at the cost of disabling sticky optimizations. (NVD)

What to Do

Monitor Linux's web page for any future patch releases.

References

SourceReference
NVDhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43296
CVEhttps://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43296