CVE-2023-53234

watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: September 15, 2025 at 02:22 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 06:44 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watchdog: Fix kmemleak in watchdog_cdev_register kmemleak reports memory leaks in watchdog_dev_register, as follows: unreferenced object 0xffff888116233000 (size 2048): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 80 fa b9 05 81 88 ff ff 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff .........0#..... 08 30 23 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .0#............. backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<000000006a389304>] kmalloc_trace+0x21/0x110 [<000000008d640eea>] watchdog_dev_register+0x4e/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... unreferenced object 0xffff888105b9fa80 (size 16): comm ""modprobe"", pid 28147, jiffies 4353426116 (age 61.741s) hex dump (first 16 bytes): 77 61 74 63 68 64 6f 67 31 00 b9 05 81 88 ff ff watchdog1....... backtrace: [<000000007f001ffd>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x157/0x220 [<00000000486ab89b>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x44/0x1b0 [<000000005a39aab0>] kvasprintf+0xb5/0x140 [<0000000024806f85>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180 [<000000009276cb7f>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150 [<00000000a92e820b>] dev_set_name+0xab/0xe0 [<00000000cec812c6>] watchdog_dev_register+0x285/0x780 [watchdog] [<0000000053c9f248>] __watchdog_register_device+0x4f0/0x680 [watchdog] [<00000000b2979824>] watchdog_register_device+0xd2/0x110 [watchdog] [<000000001f730178>] 0xffffffffc10880ae [<000000007a1a8bcc>] do_one_initcall+0xcb/0x4d0 [<00000000b98be325>] do_init_module+0x1ca/0x5f0 [<0000000046d08e7c>] load_module+0x6133/0x70f0 ... The reason is that put_device is not be called if cdev_device_add fails and wdd->id != 0. watchdog_cdev_register wd_data = kzalloc [1] err = dev_set_name [2] .. err = cdev_device_add if (err) { if (wdd->id == 0) { // wdd->id != 0 .. } return err; // [1],[2] would be leaked To fix it, call put_device in all wdd->id cases.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v ≥ 4.9.2254.14.182 ≤ v < 4.14.3084.19.93 ≤ v < 4.19.2764.9.225 ≤ v < 4.105.11 ≤ v < 5.15.1005.16 ≤ v < 6.1.185.4.8 ≤ v < 5.4.2355.5 ≤ v < 5.10.1735.5 ≤ v < 5.15.1005.5 ≤ v < 6.1.185.5 ≤ v < 6.2.55.5 ≤ v < 6.36.2 ≤ v < 6.2.54.14.1824.19.934.9.225450caf1faa0d7bbbd1da93d3ee8c5edea7bc51a85.4.85.572139dfa2464e43957d330266994740bb7be2535ca7851d46de8a8d69022c4e5feed0820483b5f46f4c36f1999745c2160422fe2f362deadbe3a136bf76905ce52653e8a821963c35d9013cff19b1399
Vendor states this is fixed in 13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3 (fixed)
Affected range stops below 4.10, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.14.308 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.276 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.173 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.100 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.235 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.5 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.18 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.2.5 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.3 (unaffected)

References (8)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13721a2ac66b246f5802ba1b75ad8637e53eeecc
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23cc41c3f19c4d858c3708f1c0a06e94958e6c3b
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50808d034e199fe3ff7a9d2068a4eebeb6b4098a
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/59e391b3fc507a15b7e8e9d9f4de87cae177c366
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c1655600f4f2839fb844fe8c70b2b65fadc7a56
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac099d94e0480c937aa9172ab64074981ca1a4d3
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf26b0e430ce34261f45959989edaf680b64d538
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5a21a5501508ae3afa2fe6d5a3e74a37fa48df3

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

5.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-401

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