CVE-2026-43296

/// Technical description

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.

/// Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

/// References