Linux Kernel Memory Leak Vulnerability in Test Firmware Initialization

A memory leak vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's test firmware feature. When the function 'misc_register()' fails during the initialization of the test firmware, the memory allocated for 'test_fw_config->name' is not properly released. This oversight leads to a memory leak, with unreferenced objects persisting in memory. The issue has been traced back to the addition of batched firmware tests.

Impact

The vulnerability causes a memory leak, where allocated memory is not released, potentially leading to increased memory usage and exhaustion over time.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by loading a module that initializes the test firmware feature. If the 'misc_register()' function fails, the allocated memory for the firmware configuration name is not freed, creating a memory leak. This can be observed by monitoring the system's memory usage after the module is loaded.

Remediation

Users can apply the latest patches available in the Linux kernel stable tree to address this vulnerability.