Linux Kernel NVDIMM PMU Attribute Group Memory Leak Vulnerability

A memory leak vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's NVDIMM PMU (Performance Monitoring Unit) management. When NVDIMM PMU is unregistered, the memory allocated for the PMU attribute groups is not properly freed, leading to a memory leak. This issue affects the stable versions of the Linux kernel.

Impact

The vulnerability causes a memory leak, which can lead to increased memory usage and potential exhaustion of system resources over time.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by registering a NVDIMM PMU, which allocates memory for the PMU attribute groups. When the NVDIMM PMU is unregistered, the memory for the attribute groups is not freed, creating a memory leak. This can be observed by monitoring the system's memory usage before and after the unregistration process.

Remediation

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