Linux Kernel up to 6.18.32/7.0.9 amd-pstate amd_pstate_epp_cpu_init memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.32/7.0.9. Affected by this issue is the function amd_pstate_epp_cpu_init of the component amd-pstate. Executing a manipulation can lead to memory leak. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-53121. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.32/7.0.9 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function amd_pstate_epp_cpu_init of the component amd-pstate. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: amd-pstate: Fix memory leak in amd_pstate_epp_cpu_init() On failure to set the epp, the function amd_pstate_epp_cpu_init() returns with an error code without freeing the cpudata object that was allocated at the beginning of the function. Ensure that the cpudata object is freed before returning from the function. This memory leak was discovered by Claude Opus 4.6 with the aid of Chris Mason's AI review-prompts (https://github.com/masoncl/review-prompts/tree/main/kernel).

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-53121 since 06/09/2026. The attack can be initiated remotely. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 06/29/2026). The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1499.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 323559 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-53121), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.18.33 or 7.0.10 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 539aabbab190825c77eb455ec35652cb3720625f/7f9aa2359742eaa6ea65ec0d20dafdfd0add9b8b/beda3b363546a423e4e29a7395e04c0ac4ff677e 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 (323559) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-2077). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 7.0.0
• 7.0.1
• 7.0.2
• 7.0.3
• 7.0.4
• 7.0.5
• 7.0.6
• 7.0.7
• 7.0.8
• 7.0.9

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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