Linux Kernel up to 6.6.102/6.12.43/6.16.3/6.17-rc2 nvif_vmm_ctor memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.102/6.12.43/6.16.3/6.17-rc2. This impacts the function nvif_vmm_ctor. Such manipulation leads to memory leak. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-39679. No exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.102/6.12.43/6.16.3/6.17-rc2. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is the function nvif_vmm_ctor. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/nouveau/nvif: Fix potential memory leak in nvif_vmm_ctor(). When the nvif_vmm_type is invalid, we will return error directly without freeing the args in nvif_vmm_ctor(), which leading a memory leak. Fix it by setting the ret -EINVAL and goto done.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2025-39679 since 04/16/2025. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 261618 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-39679), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.103, 6.12.44, 6.16.4 or 6.17-rc3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 72553fe19317fe93cb8591c83095c446bc7fe292/cabcb52d76d3d42f16c344a96e098dd9d18602f8/7d9110e3b35d08832661da1a1fc2d24455981a04/bb8aeaa3191b617c6faf8ae937252e059673b7ea is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (261618) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1988). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Google Cloud Platform
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• NetApp FAS
• NetApp AFF
• NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Microsoft Azure
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• IBM Security Verify Access
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.6.102
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.16.0
• 6.16.1
• 6.16.2
• 6.16.3
• 6.17-rc1
• 6.17-rc2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Exploitinginfo

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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