Package: linux-image-amd64 Version: linux-image-5.10.0-24-amd64 Upon updating a server hosting qemu-system-x86_64 / kvm virtual machines (VMs) from linux-image-5.10.0-23-amd64 to linux-image-5.10.0-24-amd64 and rebooting, all VM OSes saw the rtl8139 network interface as unplugged (and the network link down). Trying to change the interface state via the QEMU monitor command "set_link <netid> off" then "set_link <netid> on" runs, but the VM OS still sees the interface as unplugged. Rebooting the host OS or VMs had no effect.
The rtl8139 interfaces for the VMs work fine booting using earlier kernel versions. Server info: CPU: AMD EPYC 7282 16-Core Processor microcode: microcode updated early to new patch_level=0x0830107a The same problem was not observed on an Intel server using virtio network interfaces with the same kernel update. I suspect the problem may be caused by the patches for INCEPTION because the EPYC 7282 processor is affected by that (and Zenbleed), but that may be incorrect.
