In the Linux kernel, the batman‑adv network layer can leak a reference to a backbone gateway object when batadv_bla_add_claim() fails to insert a new claim into its hash table. The leaked reference prevents the reference‑counting mechanism from releasing the backbone_gw object, which could lead to resource exhaustion or prolonged retention of kernel structures, potentially affecting system stability.

The vulnerability resides in the batman‑adv component of the Linux kernel. It applies to all kernel versions that include this code path and have not applied the fix. No specific version range is given, so any unpatched kernel with batman‑adv is affected.

The flaw is a reference leak rather than a direct code‑execution vulnerability. Based on the description, it is inferred that local privileged code that forces batadv_bla_add_claim() to fail and trigger the error path would be needed to exploit the vulnerability. The CVSS score of 5.5 indicates moderate severity, and the EPSS score of < 1% indicates a very low likelihood of public exploitation. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Nevertheless, an attacker with the necessary access could induce denial‑of‑service by exhausting kernel memory or keeping the backbone_gw object live longer than intended.