CVE-2026-52971
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Elastic Network Adapter (ENA) driver, specifically within the Precision Time Protocol Hardware Clock (PHC) timestamp retrieval function. A race condition exists where the get_timestamp function could attempt to access memory that has already been freed by the ena_com_phc_destroy function. This use-after-free vulnerability can lead to a NULL pointer dereference, potentially causing a system crash and resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
Mitigation
For systems where the `ena` kernel module is not required, it can be blacklisted to prevent it from loading. Create a file such as `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ena.conf` with the content `blacklist ena`. A system reboot is necessary for this change to take effect. Disabling the `ena` module may impact network functionality if Elastic Network Adapters are in use.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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