Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

HID: appletb-kbd: fix "appletb_backlight" backlight device reference counting

During appletb_kbd_probe, probe attempts to get the backlight device
by name. When this happens backlight_device_get_by_name looks for a
device in the backlight class which has name "appletb_backlight" and
upon finding a match it increments the reference count for the device
and returns it to the caller. However this reference is never released
leading to a reference leak.

Fix this by decrementing the backlight device reference count on removal
via put_device and on probe failure.
Published: 2025-07-06
Score: 5.5 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-20134 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: appletb-kbd: fix "appletb_backlight" backlight device reference counting During appletb_kbd_probe, probe attempts to get the backlight device by name. When this happens backlight_device_get_by_name looks for a device in the backlight class which has name "appletb_backlight" and upon finding a match it increments the reference count for the device and returns it to the caller. However this reference is never released leading to a reference leak. Fix this by decrementing the backlight device reference count on removal via put_device and on probe failure.
History

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-Other
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 13:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00018}

epss

{'score': 0.00024}


Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Sun, 06 Jul 2025 09:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: appletb-kbd: fix "appletb_backlight" backlight device reference counting During appletb_kbd_probe, probe attempts to get the backlight device by name. When this happens backlight_device_get_by_name looks for a device in the backlight class which has name "appletb_backlight" and upon finding a match it increments the reference count for the device and returns it to the caller. However this reference is never released leading to a reference leak. Fix this by decrementing the backlight device reference count on removal via put_device and on probe failure.
Title HID: appletb-kbd: fix "appletb_backlight" backlight device reference counting
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T21:23:51.093Z

Reserved: 2025-04-16T04:51:23.996Z

Link: CVE-2025-38235

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2025-07-06T10:15:24.223

Modified: 2025-11-18T16:03:43.567

Link: CVE-2025-38235

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-07-06T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2025-38235 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-07-13T21:48:01Z

Weaknesses