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CVE-2026-64376· NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

firmware_loader: fix device reference leak in firmware_upload_register()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: firmware_loader: fix device reference leak in firmware_upload_register() firmware_upload_register() -> fw_create_instance() -> device_initialize() After fw_create_instance() succeeds, the lifetime of the embedded struct device is expected to be managed through the device core reference counting, since fw_create_instance() has already called device_initialize(). In firmware_upload_register(), if alloc_lookup_fw_priv() fails after fw_create_instance() succeeds, the code reaches free_fw_sysfs and frees fw_sysfs directly instead of releasing the device reference with put_device(). This may leave the reference count of the embedded struct device unbalanced, resulting in a refcount leak. The issue was identified by a static analysis tool I developed and confirmed by manual review. Fix this by using put_device(fw_dev) in the failure path and letting fw_dev_release() handle the final cleanup, instead of freeing the instance directly from the error path.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Jul 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 2th percentile
CWE
—
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

Affected systems

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel5.19 and later · before 6.1.178
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.6.145
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.96
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.18.39
  • linux linux kernel6.19 and later · before 7.1.4

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 5.19affected
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 517676ec7dfca064e08f94007a4abd21969de0a0affected · git
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 46d403da376a8b7c1187193294953816e1a8d7feaffected · git
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 2619b47a0c8114eef980a56ade7e3ef4b58eb384affected · git
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 92f41769e5fd16bcd9ba97500d0517332e0a5b45affected · git
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 15432f19562fdb9199cce6d9fc24db12c71ed574affected · git
    • 97730bbb242cde22b7140acd202ffd88823886c9 and later · before 896df22ee57648b0c505bd76ddbc6b2341834696affected · git
    • before 5.19not affected · semver
    • 6.1.178 and later · up to and including 6.1.*not affected · semver
    • 6.6.145 and later · up to and including 6.6.*not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.180-16.1.180-1
Debian:12linux-6.12before 6.12.100-1~deb12u16.12.100-1~deb12u1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.96-16.12.96-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 7.1.4-17.1.4-1

Same product

linux: all records

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Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux15432f19562fdb9199cce6d9fc24db12c71ed574Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux2619b47a0c8114eef980a56ade7e3ef4b58eb384Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux46d403da376a8b7c1187193294953816e1a8d7feVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux517676ec7dfca064e08f94007a4abd21969de0a0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux896df22ee57648b0c505bd76ddbc6b2341834696Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux92f41769e5fd16bcd9ba97500d0517332e0a5b45Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.180-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
debian:linux-6.126.12.100-1~deb12u1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

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Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records