A flaw in the Linux kernel’s NFC trf7970a driver prevents the device from being powered down when a register read or write fails during startup. Because the driver powers the module before applying optional RX gain reduction, an error in the communication leaves the external VIN enable asserted and the enable GPIOs active. The result is an unbalanced power state where the NFC chip stays energized, consuming power and potentially causing instability in subsequent operations.

The issue affects any Linux kernel build that incorporates the trf7970a NFC driver prior to the commit that restores the proper shutdown logic. No explicit version range is supplied, so the flaw may exist in any kernel that contains the unpatched driver. The vendor is Linux.

The CVSS score of 1.9 indicates a low severity impact, and the EPSS score of <1% shows that the probability of exploitation is very small. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, implying no known active exploits. Based on the description it is inferred that exploitation would require either local or privileged access to trigger the register failure or to manipulate the device’s SPI communication. As there is no evidence of a publicly available exploitation method, the overall risk remains low.