Linux Kernel Refcount Leak Vulnerability in ASoC Mediatek MT8183 Driver

A refcount leak vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's ASoC Mediatek MT8183 driver, specifically within the 'mt8183_mt6358_ts3a227_max98357_dev_probe' function. The issue arises because the 'of_parse_phandle' function increments the reference count of the returned node, but the corresponding 'of_node_put' function is not called in all error paths, leading to a memory leak. This vulnerability affects the Linux kernel stable tree.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to a memory leak, where reference counts are not properly managed, potentially causing increased memory usage over time.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by loading the ASoC Mediatek MT8183 machine driver with TS3A227 support. The 'mt8183_mt6358_ts3a227_max98357_dev_probe' function will be called during the device probe process. If the function encounters an error, the reference count for the platform node or codec nodes may not be properly decremented, leading to a refcount leak.

Remediation

The vulnerability has been addressed in the Linux kernel. Users should upgrade to the latest version where this issue has been fixed.