Linux Kernel Auxdisplay HD44780 Memory Leak Vulnerability in Remove Function

A memory leak vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's auxdisplay HD44780 driver. The issue arises in the hd44780_remove() function, which fails to release a memory chunk allocated by hd44780_probe() for the driver data. This oversight leads to a memory leak, as the allocated memory is not properly freed when the device is removed.

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 the HD44780 auxdisplay driver, which allocates memory for the driver data. When the driver is removed, the hd44780_remove() function is called, but it does not free the allocated memory, causing a leak. This can be observed by monitoring memory usage before and after the driver is loaded and removed.

Remediation

The vulnerability has been fixed in the Linux kernel. Users should upgrade to the latest version where this commit is included.