Kernel memory leak via asynchronous OF teardown
Published May 19, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Memory leak in the dynamic device-tree code of the Linux kernel allows local users to retain kernel memory during overlay removal. of_changeset_destroy() can destroy OF nodes before an asynchronous devlink-removal job releases its device and of_node reference, causing of_node_put() to run after node destruction. Reachability requires platform-device depopulation followed by overlay removal; the documented consequence is a refcount warning and unreleased kernel memory.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the dynamic device-tree code of the Linux kernel allows local users to retain kernel memory during overlay removal. of_changeset_destroy() can destroy OF nodes before an asynchronous devlink-removal job releases its device and of_node reference, causing of_node_put() to run after node destruction. Reachability requires platform-device depopulation followed by overlay removal; the documented consequence is a refcount warning and unreleased kernel memory.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-35879
- Published
- May 19, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-401, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=252c23915546863685ecc68cb3a39e7e80c6c9d4
- Affected versionversion=5.10.42 <5.10.215
- Affected versionversion=5.12.9 <5.13
- Affected versionversion=5.13
- Affected versionversion=80dd33cf72d1ab4f0af303f1fa242c6d6c8d328f <3ee2424107546d882e1ddd75333ca9c32879908c
- Affected versionversion=80dd33cf72d1ab4f0af303f1fa242c6d6c8d328f <7b6df050c45a1ea158fd50bc32a8e1447dd1e951
- Affected versionversion=80dd33cf72d1ab4f0af303f1fa242c6d6c8d328f <801c8b8ec5bfb3519566dff16a5ecd48302fca82
- Affected versionversion=80dd33cf72d1ab4f0af303f1fa242c6d6c8d328f <8917e7385346bd6584890ed362985c219fe6ae84
- Affected versionversion=80dd33cf72d1ab4f0af303f1fa242c6d6c8d328f <ae6d76e4f06c37a623e357e79d49b17411db6f5c
- Affected versionversion=d007150b4e15bfcb8d36cfd88a5645d42e44d383 <3127b2ee50c424a96eb3559fbb7b43cf0b111c7a
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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