Memory Leak in Linux Kernel's QEDF Driver

CVE-2024-56748

Summary

A memory leak vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's QEDF (QLogic Ethernet Driver Framework) driver, specifically in the function qedf_alloc_and_init_sb(). When an initialization step fails, the hook 'qed_ops->common->sb_init' does not properly release allocated DMA memory (sb_virt). The absence of a corresponding dma_free_coherent() function call results in a potential memory leak, impacting system performance and resource utilization. This issue has been addressed in recent kernel updates, ensuring better memory management practices alongside the same approach utilized in other related functions, such as qedr_alloc_mem_sb() and qede_alloc_mem_sb().

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