CVE-2026-68371 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 08/10/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: musb: omap2430: Do not put borrowed of_node in probe
omap2430_probe() stores pdev->dev.of_node in a local np variable. This is a borrowed pointer and the probe function does not take a reference to it.
The success and error paths nevertheless call of_node_put(np). This drops a reference that is owned by the platform device, and can leave pdev->dev.of_node with an unbalanced reference count.
Do not put the borrowed platform device node from omap2430_probe(). References taken for the child MUSB device are handled by the device core, and the ctrl-module phandle reference is still released separately.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2026
The vulnerability in question affects the Linux kernel's USB multi-purpose controller driver specifically targeting the omap2430 platform device. This issue stems from improper handling of device tree node references within the probe function implementation. The problem manifests when the omap2430_probe() function attempts to manage a borrowed pointer to the device tree node through local variable np, which is derived from pdev->dev.of_node without taking an explicit reference to it.
The technical flaw occurs due to the kernel's device tree subsystem management where the platform device's device tree node is considered a borrowed reference that should not be explicitly released by the probe function. When both successful execution paths and error handling routines call of_node_put(np), they inadvertently decrement the reference count of a node that belongs to the platform device itself rather than managing their own references. This creates an unbalanced reference count condition that can lead to memory corruption or system instability when the device tree subsystem attempts to clean up resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource management issues as it can result in kernel memory corruption and potential denial of service conditions. When the reference count becomes unbalanced, subsequent operations on the device tree node may fail catastrophically, potentially causing the entire kernel to crash or exhibit unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels with USB support on omap2430 platform devices where device tree initialization is used, particularly impacting embedded systems and mobile devices that rely on this specific USB controller implementation.
The mitigation strategy involves removing the erroneous of_node_put(np) calls from the probe function entirely since the device core properly manages references for child devices. The solution ensures that only the actual references taken for child MUSB devices are handled by the device subsystem, while the control module phandle reference continues to be released separately through proper kernel mechanisms. This aligns with the principle of not manipulating borrowed references in kernel code, as specified in various security guidelines and best practices for kernel development.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-475 which describes "Undefined Behavior for Input to API" and specifically relates to improper handling of device tree node references. From an ATT&CK perspective, this represents a privilege escalation vector through kernel memory corruption that could potentially allow attackers to gain elevated privileges or cause system instability. The issue demonstrates the importance of proper reference counting in kernel subsystems and highlights why careful attention must be paid to device tree node management in platform driver implementations. The fix ensures proper kernel resource management by adhering to established patterns where borrowed references are not explicitly released, preventing potential exploitation through memory corruption attacks that could compromise system integrity.