CVE-2026-72240

What the bug is

When platform_device_register() fails in sm501_register_device(), the embedded struct device in pdev has already been initialized by device_initialize(), but the failure path only reports the error and returns without dropping the device reference for the current platform device: sm501_register_device() -> platform_device_register(pdev) -> device_initialize(&pdev->dev) -> setup_pdev_dma_masks(pdev) -> platform_device_add(pdev) This leads to a reference leak when platform_device_register() fails. Fix this by calling platform_device_put() before returning the error. The issue was identified by a static analysis tool I developed and confirmed by manual review.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

drivers/mfd/sm501.c

What this is

MULTIFUNCTION DEVICES (MFD)MAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/mfd/ · mfd@lists.linux.dev · Maintained

Kernel module

none to look for. The file would have gone into sm501, and Debian does not compile it into that module, so finding sm501 in lsmod would say nothing about this CVE.

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_MFD_SM501 /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian does not build this code. In 4 releases below, every kernel flavour Debian publishes has the switch off, so the vulnerable file is compiled into no kernel binary Debian ships.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sidn

n

not enabled on any flavour - this release does not build the code

Build switch

CONFIG_MFD_SM501

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-08-15 (2 months ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.22%, higher than 11.6% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

drivers/mfd

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
2.6.21	5.10.261	bbb1ecaed4ed
2.6.21	5.15.212	e2dac91380a1
2.6.21	6.1.178	0baf9d43a7b7
2.6.21	6.6.145	a3e340d506c1
2.6.21	6.12.97	760a1029692f
2.6.21	6.18.40	16a42c88c466
2.6.21	7.1.5	2ff8156fd500
2.6.21	7.2	8c2f0b42fc25