CVE-2026-72266
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel fbdev vesafb

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-15

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fbdev: vesafb: fix memory leak in vesafb_probe() Since commit 73ce73c30ba9 ("fbdev: Transfer video= option strings to caller; clarify ownership") the string returned from fb_get_options() is expected to be freed by the caller. But the string is not freed in vesafb_probe(). Fix that by freeing the option string after setup.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-15
Last Modified
2026-08-15
Generated
2026-08-15
AI Q&A
2026-08-15
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72266
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59165

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

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Exploitability

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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's vesafb framebuffer driver. The issue occurs in the vesafb_probe function where a string obtained from fb_get_options is not freed after use. Normally, the caller is expected to free this string, but vesafb_probe fails to do so, causing a memory leak.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's fbdev subsystem and involves a memory leak in vesafb_probe(). Detection requires checking kernel logs for memory allocation warnings or using kernel debugging tools like slabtop or vmstat to monitor memory usage patterns.

Impact Analysis

The memory leak could gradually consume system memory over time, potentially leading to degraded performance or system instability if the leak occurs frequently. However, the impact is limited to systems using the vesafb framebuffer driver.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel patch that resolves this issue. Monitor system memory usage for leaks and update the vesafb driver if a patched version is available. Reboot the system after applying fixes to ensure changes take effect.

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