In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: sysfs: Fix reference leak in sysfs_break_active_protection() The sysfs_break_active_protection() routine has an obvious reference leak in its error path. If the call to kernfs_find_and_get() fails then kn will be NULL, so the companion sysfs_unbreak_active_protection() routine won't get called (and would only cause an access violation by trying to dereference kn->parent if it was called). As a result, the reference to kobj acquired at the start of the function will never be released. Fix the leak by adding an explicit kobject_put() call when kn is NULL.