Reference Count Leak in QCOM OCMEM for Linux Kernel

CVE-2022-50196

What is CVE-2022-50196?

A reference count leak was identified in the Qualcomm OCMEM implementation within the Linux kernel. The function of_parse_phandle() is supposed to return a node pointer while incrementing its reference count. However, if this node is not released appropriately using of_node_put(), it can lead to a refcount leak. This leak could compromise system stability over time by preventing the memory from being freed correctly. The issue was addressed by adding the necessary of_node_put() calls to ensure proper memory management.

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