Linux Kernel EEE Configuration Vulnerability in BCM63xx Switches

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's handling of Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) has been addressed. Internal switches on BCM63xx devices do not support EEE, yet they offer multiple RGMII ports for external PHY connections. If an external PHY is EEE-capable, the system may attempt to enable EEE for the MACs, leading to a system hang when accessing the non-existent EEE registers. The vulnerability has been fixed by verifying EEE support before configuration.

Impact

The vulnerability could cause a system hang by attempting to access non-existent EEE registers, disrupting normal operation.