Refcount Leak in Realview GIC Initialization in Linux Kernel

CVE-2022-49719

Summary

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel related to the Realview Generic Interrupt Controller (GIC) initialization process. The function responsible for matching device nodes, of_find_matching_node_and_match(), fails to properly manage reference counts, leading to a potential refcount leak. This oversight can result in memory management issues, as the system does not release the node pointer when it is no longer needed. To mitigate this risk, an additional call to of_node_put() has been added to ensure that reference counts are accurately decremented, thus preventing resource leaks and enhancing system stability.

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