Memory Leak in caif_device_notify in Kernel
Summary
GSD-2021-1000738: net: caif: fix memory leak in caif_device_notify. Affects Kernel versions >= 7c18d2205ea76eef9674e59e1ecae4f332a53e9e, < 3be863c11cab725add9fef4237ed4e232c3fc3bb. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The Kernel is a crucial component of the Linux operating system that manages core system functions and provides an interface for hardware devices. It is responsible for memory management, process scheduling, and device drivers. The caif_device_notify function in the Kernel's caif subsystem is used to notify the system about changes in the state of a Communication Area Interface (CAIF) device. CAIF is a protocol stack used for communication between mobile devices and the network. This vulnerability in caif_device_notify can lead to a memory leak, causing the system to exhaust its available memory resources over time.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in caif_device_notify arises from a memory leak issue. When the function is called to notify the system about a device state change, it fails to properly release allocated memory, resulting in a memory leak. Over time, this can lead to a depletion of available memory resources, potentially causing system instability or denial of service. The vulnerability was introduced in version v3.3 of the Linux Kernel and is fixed in version v4.19.194 by commit 3be863c11cab725add9fef4237ed4e232c3fc3bb.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
As a workaround, users can mitigate the impact of this vulnerability by avoiding the use of CAIF devices or by limiting the number of CAIF devices in the system. This can help reduce the rate of memory consumption and delay the depletion of available memory resources.
Conclusion
The memory leak vulnerability in the caif_device_notify function of the Linux Kernel's caif subsystem can lead to a gradual depletion of available memory resources, potentially causing system instability or denial of service. It is recommended to update the Kernel to version v4.19.194 or later to fix this vulnerability. Users can also mitigate the impact by following the provided workaround. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
The caif_device_notify function is part of the caif subsystem in the Linux Kernel. It is responsible for notifying the system about changes in the state of a Communication Area Interface (CAIF) device.
A memory leak occurs when a program or system fails to release allocated memory after it is no longer needed. This can lead to a gradual depletion of available memory resources, potentially causing system instability or denial of service.
This vulnerability can lead to a memory leak in the Linux Kernel, causing the system to exhaust its available memory resources over time. This can result in system instability or denial of service.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to update the Linux Kernel to version v4.19.194 or later. Alternatively, users can wait for their Linux distribution to release an updated Kernel package that includes the fix.
Yes, users can mitigate the impact of this vulnerability by avoiding the use of CAIF devices or by limiting the number of CAIF devices in the system. This can help reduce the rate of memory consumption and delay the depletion of available memory resources.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
