Executive brief
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's video driver for Qualcomm Iris hardware could allow a local user to cause a memory leak. The driver fails to properly release internal memory buffers after they are no longer needed by the hardware firmware. Over time, this can exhaust available system memory, potentially leading to a system slowdown or crash.
Technical details
A memory leak (CWE-401) exists in the Linux kernel's media iris driver (gen1) within the iris_hfi_gen1_session_unset_buffers function. The driver fails to call iris_destroy_internal_buffer after receiving a release response from the firmware, leading to stale allocations that persist until the session is closed. This is particularly problematic during video resolution changes where new buffers are frequently allocated. A local attacker with low privileges could exploit this to cause a denial-of-service condition via memory exhaustion. Patches have been released for various stable kernel branches including 6.18.16 and 6.19.6.
Affected products
- Linux Linux Kernel 6.15 to 6.18.16, 6.19 to 6.19.6
Timeline
- 2025-12-29: other: Patch authored
- 2026-05-06: disclosed: CVE published
- 2026-05-13: advisory: NVD analysis completed