Bug 2513282 (CVE-2026-68180)

Summary: CVE-2026-68180 kernel: intel_th: fix MSC output device reference leak
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security <prodsec-ir-bot>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedCC: akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the `intel_th` (Intel Trace Hub) driver within the Linux kernel. This vulnerability occurs because the `intel_th_output_open()` function acquires a device reference that is not properly released by the `intel_th_msc_release()` function when handling Message Signaled Interrupt (MSC) outputs. Consequently, each successful MSC output open operation leads to a device reference leak. A local attacker could repeatedly trigger this memory leak, potentially exhausting system resources and causing a Denial of Service (DoS).
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-08-10 12:28:47 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

intel_th: fix MSC output device reference leak

intel_th_output_open() looks up the output device with
bus_find_device_by_devt(), which returns the device with a reference that
must be dropped after use.

commit 95fc36a234da ("intel_th: fix device leak on output open()")
attempted to drop the reference from intel_th_output_release(). However,
a successful open replaces file->f_op with the output driver file
operations before returning, so close runs the output driver release
callback instead.

For MSC outputs, close runs intel_th_msc_release(), which only removes
the per-file iterator and does not drop the device reference taken by
intel_th_output_open(). Consequently, every successful MSC output open
leaks one device reference.

Drop the device reference from intel_th_msc_release(), which is the
release path actually used for MSC output files. Remove the now-unused
intel_th_output_release() callback from intel_th_output_fops.