CVE-2022-48961: net: mdio: fix unbalanced fwnode reference count in mdio_device_release()
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2022-48961 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 15.8% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 5 · Related 5Timeline
- 21-10-2024PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 11-05-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mdio: fix unbalanced fwnode reference count in mdio_device_release() There is warning report about of_node refcount leak while probing mdio device: OF: ERROR: memory leak, expected refcount 1 instead of 2, of_node_get()/of_node_put() unbalanced - destroy cset entry: attach overlay node /spi/soc@0/mdio@710700c0/ethernet@4 In of_mdiobus_register_device(), we increase fwnode refcount by fwnode_handle_get() before associating the of_node with mdio device, but it has never been decreased in normal path. Since that, in mdio_device_release(), it needs to call fwnode_handle_put() in addition instead of calling kfree() directly. After above, just calling mdio_device_free() in the error handle path of of_mdiobus_register_device() is enough to keep the refcount balanced.
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 3 sources · 1 version- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.24%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
16%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.24% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu112 products
- linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-67.74
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-awsAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 5.15.0-1031.35
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
- linux≥ a9049e0c513c4521dbfaa302af8ed08b3366b41f, < 16854177745a5648f8ec322353b432e18460f43a | ≥ a9049e0c513c4521dbfaa302af8ed08b3366b41f, < a5c6de1a6656b8cc6bce7cb3d9874dd7df4968c3 | ≥ a9049e0c513c4521dbfaa302af8ed08b3366b41f, < cb37617687f2bfa5b675df7779f869147c9002bd | 4.5
- linux_kernel≥ 4.5, < 5.15.83 | ≥ 5.16, < 6.0.13 | 6.1:rc1 | 6.1:rc2 | 6.1:rc3 | 6.1:rc4 | 6.1:rc5 | 6.1:rc6 | 6.1:rc7 | 6.1:rc8
Debian1 product
- linux< 6.1.4-1
3 vendors · 115 products
