The flaw arises from an unintended retention of a sink object within the AMD DRM display driver in the Linux kernel. At function entry, prev_sink is retained via dc_sink_retain, but the DP Alternate Mode timeout code path fails to release it, causing a memory leak that can accumulate over time. The leak does not provide code execution or data exposure, but repeated leaks can drain kernel memory, leading to system instability or a denial of service. This weakness aligns with CWE‑401, a classic memory leak scenario.

The defect exists in the AMD DRM display driver module (drm/amd/display) of the Linux kernel. Any kernel build that includes this module before the inclusion of the fix commit 45510cf662dcf46b5d8926d454f338809f107b9d is affected. Kernel versions older than that commit, as well as custom kernels derived from such builds, may contain the leak. The affected product is Linux kernels, represented by the CPE cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*.*

The CVSS score is not provided and the EPSS value is unavailable, so quantitative severity cannot be precisely measured. It is likely that the vulnerability can be triggered by a DP Alternate Mode timeout, which occurs when a monitor or peripheral initiates this mode and the driver fails to release the sink reference. An attacker would need to repeatedly induce such a timeout—potentially by connecting multiple devices or malicious peripherals—to accelerate the leak. The description does not confirm that this scenario is easily exploitable in the wild, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Nonetheless, the risk of resource exhaustion and eventual denial of service exists if the leak is allowed to accumulate over time.