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Response snapshot Nov 5, 2026, 23:11 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2023-53596

Linux kernel: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device In the current code, devres_release_all() only gets called if the device has a bus and has been probed.

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.8 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
Not estimated
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2023-53596 (opens a new tab)

What happened

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device

In the current code, devres_release_all() only gets called if the device has a bus and has been probed.

This leads to issues when using bus-less or driver-less devices where the device might never get freed if a managed resource holds a reference to the device. This is happening in the DRM framework for example.

Continue reading

We should thus call devres_release_all() in the device_del() function to make sure that the device-managed actions are properly executed when the device is unregistered, even if it has neither a bus nor a driver.

This is effectively the same change than commit 2f8d16a996da ("devres: release resources on device_del()") that got reverted by commit a525a3ddeaca ("driver core: free devres in device_release") over memory leaks concerns.

This patch effectively combines the two commits mentioned above to release the resources both on device_del() and device_release() and get the best of both worlds.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.8

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

Not available

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2023-53596 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, November 5). Linux kernel: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device (CVE-2023-53596). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-53596

MLA

"Linux kernel: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device (CVE-2023-53596)." KEVWire, 5 Nov. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-53596.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Linux kernel: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device (CVE-2023-53596)." Last modified November 5, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2023-53596.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Linux kernel: drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device (Oct 4, 2025).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

drivers: base: Free devm resources when unregistering a device

In the current code, devres_release_all() only gets called if the device
has a bus and has been probed.

This leads to issues when using bus-less or driver-less devices where
the device might never get freed if a managed resource holds a reference
to the device. This is happening in the DRM framework for example.
CVSS 7.8 (version 3.1; evidence as of Nov 5, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53596).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2023-53596: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53596
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-05T20:51:23.450Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-05T22:25:57.582Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-05T20:16:05.862Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-05T21:50:58.884Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
Record ID: CVE-2023-53596.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Nov 5, 2026, 22:25 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Analyzed. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

Record JSON

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Record details

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