CVE-2026-98781
Received Received - Intake

Linux Kernel pdev Reference Leak in mtk_drm_bind

Publication date: 2026-10-18

Last updated on: 2026-10-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/mediatek: Fix pdev reference leak in mtk_drm_bind() When the device is not the mmsys master, mtk_drm_bind() returns early after taking a reference on the disp-mutex device via of_find_device_by_node(), without ever dropping it: mtk_drm_unbind() only puts mutex_dev for the master. Drop the reference before returning from the non-master path.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-18
Last Modified
2026-10-18
Generated
2026-10-19
AI Q&A
2026-10-18
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98781
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103866

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 1ef7ed48356cd5f9af2b7671956991b658d8c2ba
Linux Linux 1ef7ed48356cd5f9af2b7671956991b658d8c2ba
Linux Linux 1ef7ed48356cd5f9af2b7671956991b658d8c2ba
Linux Linux 1ef7ed48356cd5f9af2b7671956991b658d8c2ba
Linux Linux 6.4

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Exploitability

CWE
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a Linux kernel vulnerability where a reference to a device is not properly released when the device is not the master. Specifically, in mtk_drm_bind(), a reference is taken via of_find_device_by_node() but not dropped if the device is not the master, leading to a resource leak.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's DRM/MediaTek driver. Detection requires checking kernel logs for reference leaks or errors in mtk_drm_bind(). Use commands like dmesg | grep mtk_drm or journalctl -k | grep mtk_drm to inspect kernel logs for related errors.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could cause system instability or resource exhaustion due to un-released device references. It may lead to crashes, hangs, or degraded performance in systems using the affected Linux kernel component.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability is a Linux kernel reference leak in the DRM subsystem, specifically in the Mediatek display driver. It does not directly impact compliance with standards like GDPR or HIPAA as it is a local resource management issue rather than a data protection or privacy breach.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel update that includes the fix for CVE-2026-98781. Reboot the system after updating to ensure the patched kernel is active. Monitor kernel logs post-update for any remaining issues.

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