CVE-2022-50751configfs: fix possible memory leak in configfs_create_dir()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: configfs: fix possible memory leak in configfs_create_dir() kmemleak reported memory leaks in configfs_create_dir(): unreferenced object 0xffff888009f6af00 (size 192): comm "modprobe", pid 3777, jiffies 4295537735 (age 233.784s) backtrace: kmem_cache_alloc (mm/slub.c:3250 mm/slub.c:3256 mm/slub.c:3263 mm/slub.c:3273) new_fragment (./include/linux/slab.h:600 fs/configfs/dir.c:163) configfs_register_subsystem (fs/configfs/dir.c:1857) basic_write (drivers/hwtracing/stm/p_basic.c:14) stm_p_basic do_one_initcall (init/main.c:1296) do_init_module (kernel/module/main.c:2455) ... unreferenced object 0xffff888003ba7180 (size 96): comm "modprobe", pid 3777, jiffies 4295537735 (age 233.784s) backtrace: kmem_cache_alloc (mm/slub.c:3250 mm/slub.c:3256 mm/slub.c:3263 mm/slub.c:3273) configfs_new_dirent (./include/linux/slab.h:723 fs/configfs/dir.c:194) configfs_make_dirent (fs/configfs/dir.c:248) configfs_create_dir (fs/configfs/dir.c:296) configfs_attach_group.isra.28 (fs/configfs/dir.c:816 fs/configfs/dir.c:852) configfs_register_subsystem (fs/configfs/dir.c:1881) basic_write (drivers/hwtracing/stm/p_basic.c:14) stm_p_basic do_one_initcall (init/main.c:1296) do_init_module (kernel/module/main.c:2455) ... This is because the refcount is not correct in configfs_make_dirent(). For normal stage, the refcount is changing as: configfs_register_subsystem() configfs_create_dir() configfs_make_dirent() configfs_new_dirent() # set s_count = 1 dentry->d_fsdata = configfs_get(sd); # s_count = 2 ... configfs_unregister_subsystem() configfs_remove_dir() remove_dir() configfs_remove_dirent() # s_count = 1 dput() ... *dentry_unlink_inode()* configfs_d_iput() # s_count = 0, release However, if we failed in configfs_create(): configfs_register_subsystem() configfs_create_dir() configfs_make_dirent() # s_count = 2 ... configfs_create() # fail ->out_remove: configfs_remove_dirent(dentry) configfs_put(sd) # s_count = 1 return PTR_ERR(inode); There is no inode in the error path, so the configfs_d_iput() is lost and makes sd and fragment memory leaked. To fix this, when we failed in configfs_create(), manually call configfs_put(sd) to keep the refcount correct.

CVSS

Not yet scored

Weakness (CWE)

Not given

Known exploited

Not in CISA's KEV catalog

EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)

Not loaded for this CVE

Assigned by

Linux

NVD analysis

Deferred

Record last updated

May 11, 2026

First seen by InfoSec Signals

Oct 9, 2026

The CVE record on cve.org · NVD's entry

The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.