The Linux kernel contains a flaw in the __ceph_setxattr() routine where an old_blob buffer can be stored during a retry but is never freed, causing a memory leak. This leak can accumulate over time, potentially exhausting kernel memory and leading to system instability or denial of service. The weakness is a buffer leak, a type of memory management flaw (CWE-401).

The flaw exists in the Linux kernel; affected kernels are all versions released before the patch that adds ceph_buffer_put on the old_blob object. The exact affected versions are not specified, but all kernels without this patch are vulnerable.

No exploitability metrics are available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The EPSS score is not available, so the likelihood of exploitation is uncertain. The likely attack vector is the usage of Ceph extended attributes; if an application or user invokes __ceph_setxattr(), the buffer leak will occur. Attack requires local or privileged access to the filesystem that uses Ceph, and would primarily lead to resource exhaustion rather than remote code execution.