Medium [CVE-2026-72484] avoid double free on video register failure
This medium-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-72484.
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Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: most: video: avoid double free on video register failure comp_register_videodev() allocates a video_device with video_device_alloc() and releases it if video_register_device() fails.
This can double free the video_device when __video_register_device() reaches device_register() and that call fails: video_register_device() -> __video_register_device() -> device_register() fails -> put_device(&vdev->dev) -> v4l2_device_release() -> vdev->release(vdev) -> video_device_release(vdev) comp_register_videodev() -> video_device_release(mdev->vdev) Use video_device_release_empty() while registering the device so that registration failure paths do not free mdev->vdev through vdev->release(). comp_register_videodev() then releases mdev->vdev exactly once on failure.
Restore video_device_release() after successful registration so the registered device keeps its normal lifetime handling. This issue was found by a static analysis tool I am developing.
This vulnerability occurs when `comp_register_videodev()` attempts to release a `video_device` that might have already been freed during a failed device registration. A local attacker could exploit this double free vulnerability, potentially leading to memory corruption or a denial of service (DoS).
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
Mitigation
The source record does not include mitigation steps. That is not a statement that no fix exists — read the vendor advisory below for the authoritative guidance.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
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