Linux Kernel Open vSwitch Flow Memory Leak Vulnerability

A memory leak vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch component. The issue arises in the 'ovs_flow_cmd_new' function, where a newly allocated flow object is not properly freed if the allocation of a key fails. This oversight leads to unreferenced objects remaining in memory, causing a leak.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability leads to a memory leak, where allocated objects are not properly released, potentially causing increased memory usage and degradation of system performance over time.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by sending a Netlink message to the Open vSwitch component that triggers the 'ovs_flow_cmd_new' function. If the message causes a key allocation to fail, the function will exit without freeing the previously allocated flow object, leading to a memory leak.

Remediation

No specific remediation is mentioned, but users can apply the latest kernel patches where this vulnerability has been addressed.