In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
regulator: max20086: fix invalid memory access
max20086_parse_regulators_dt() calls of_regulator_match() using an array of struct of_regulator_match allocated on the stack for the matches argument.
of_regulator_match() calls devm_of_regulator_put_matches(), which calls devres_alloc() to allocate a struct devm_of_regulator_matches which will be de-allocated using devm_of_regulator_put_matches().
struct devm_of_regulator_matches is populated with the stack allocated matches array.
If the device fails to probe, devm_of_regulator_put_matches() will be called and will try to call of_node_put() on that stack pointer, generating the following dmesg entries:
max20086 6-0028: Failed to read DEVICE_ID reg: -121 kobject: '\xc0$\xa5\x03' (000000002cebcb7a): is not initialized, yet kobject_put() is being called.
Followed by a stack trace matching the call flow described above.
Switch to allocating the matches array using devm_kcalloc() to avoid accessing the stack pointer long after it's out of scope.
This also has the advantage of allowing multiple max20086 to probe without overriding the data stored inside the global of_regulator_match.
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux / linux_kernel | 5.17 | 6.1.140 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.2 | 6.6.92 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.7 | 6.12.30 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.13 | 6.14.8 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc1 | 6.15-rc1.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc2 | 6.15-rc2.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc3 | 6.15-rc3.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc4 | 6.15-rc4.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc5 | 6.15-rc5.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.15-rc6 | 6.15-rc6.x |
| debian / debian_linux | 11.0 | 11.0.x |
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.
Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.
Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.
SynScan combines attack surface monitoring and continuous security auditing to keep your inventory current, flag high-impact vulnerabilities early, and help you turn raw findings into a practical remediation plan.