Refcount Leak Vulnerability in Linux Kernel for ARM Devices

CVE-2022-50198

What is CVE-2022-50198?

A vulnerability exists within the Linux kernel affecting ARM devices, where the function of_find_matching_node() returns a node pointer that increments a reference count. If this reference count is not properly managed, it can lead to a memory leak. The absence of the necessary of_node_put() function call to release the node pointer when it's no longer needed can create a refcount leak, potentially affecting system performance and reliability.

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