The Linux kernel sm501 driver allocates a structure (sm501_devdata) during probe but does not free it when the device is removed. This oversight causes a kernel memory leak that can accumulate over repeated driver load/unload cycles, potentially exhausting available memory and leading to kernel instability or crash. The primary consequence is a denial‑of‑service scenario from memory exhaustion.

The flaw exists in any Linux kernel that includes the sm501 driver before the fix was merged. Versions are not specified in the CVE, so all kernel builds containing the legacy sm501 driver are potentially affected. The issue would impact systems that enable or allow loading the sm501 driver, which is typically found in Linux distributions that ship hardware support for the sm501 device or allow modules to be loaded manually.

The CVSS score is 4.4 and the EPSS score is less than 1 %. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Triggering the requires the ability to execute the remove functions of the sm501 driver, which normally happens when the driver is unloaded. Based on the description, it is inferred that the privilege level required to unload the driver is typically root, since loading and unloading kernel modules is privileged. The likely attack vector is a local or remote command that loads or unloads the sm501 driver, assuming the attacker has the necessary module handling permissions. The description does not specify the privilege level needed to perform this action, so the exact exposure depends on the system’s kernel module handling permissions and the attacker’s ability to unload the driver.