Memory Leak in Linux Kernel DRM VirtIO GPU Driver

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is in the Linux kernel's drm/virtio driver. It occurs in the virtio_gpu_resource_create_ioctl() function where an object leak happens during error handling. When drm_gem_handle_create() fails, the function incorrectly calls drm_gem_object_release() instead of drm_gem_object_put(). This prevents proper cleanup of resources like the virtio_gpu_object, its memory pages, scatter-gather tables, resource IDs, and host-side resources.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's drm/virtio driver and requires kernel-level inspection. Detection involves checking for unpatched kernel versions or analyzing kernel memory for leaked objects. Commands like 'uname -a' to check kernel version and 'dmesg | grep virtio' for driver errors may help. However, no direct detection commands are provided in the context.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could lead to memory leaks in systems using the Linux kernel with virtio GPU drivers. Over time, repeated exploitation could cause system performance degradation, resource exhaustion, or unexpected crashes due to unmanaged memory usage.

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Mitigation Strategies

Apply the kernel patch that replaces drm_gem_object_release() with drm_gem_object_put() in virtio_gpu_resource_create_ioctl(). Update to a fixed Linux kernel version. Reboot the system after patching to ensure changes take effect.

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