CVE-2026-43218
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete
Memory Leak in Linux Kernel Media Subsystem

Publication date: 2026-05-06

Last updated on: 2026-05-11

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: i2c/tw9903: Fix potential memory leak in tw9903_probe() In one of the error paths in tw9903_probe(), the memory allocated in v4l2_ctrl_handler_init() and v4l2_ctrl_new_std() is not freed. Fix that by calling v4l2_ctrl_handler_free() on the handler in that error path.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-05-06
Last Modified
2026-05-11
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-05-06
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-43218
EUVD
EUVD-2026-27778
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 7 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel From 6.2 (inc) to 6.6.128 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.7 (inc) to 6.12.75 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.13 (inc) to 6.18.16 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.19 (inc) to 6.19.6 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.11 (inc) to 5.15.202 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.16 (inc) to 6.1.165 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 3.10 (inc) to 5.10.252 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-401 The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.
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Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate this vulnerability, update the Linux kernel to a version where the tw9903_probe() memory leak issue has been fixed. This involves applying the patch that ensures v4l2_ctrl_handler_free() is called in the error path to prevent memory leaks.

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a potential memory leak in the Linux kernel's media subsystem, specifically in the i2c/tw9903 driver. During the execution of the tw9903_probe() function, if an error occurs, the memory allocated by v4l2_ctrl_handler_init() and v4l2_ctrl_new_std() is not properly freed. This issue is fixed by ensuring that v4l2_ctrl_handler_free() is called on the handler in the error path to release the allocated memory.

Impact Analysis

The impact of this vulnerability is a potential memory leak in the Linux kernel when using the tw9903 driver. Over time, if the error path is triggered repeatedly, it could lead to increased memory usage and possibly degrade system performance or stability. However, there is no indication of direct security compromise such as code execution or privilege escalation.

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