The product uses a reference count to manage a resource, but it does not update or incorrectly updates the reference count.
Reference counts can be used when tracking how many objects contain a reference to a particular resource, such as in memory management or garbage collection. When the reference count reaches zero, the resource can be de-allocated or reused because there are no more objects that use it. If the reference count accidentally reaches zero, then the resource might be released too soon, even though it is still in use. If all objects no longer use the resource, but the reference count is not zero, then the resource might not ever be released.

Primary

Implementation

Medium

Availability
DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory)
DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)
High
An adversary that can cause a resource counter to become inaccurate may be able to create situations where resources are not accounted for and not released, thus causing resources to become scarce for future needs.

Availability
DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Low
An adversary that can cause a resource counter to become inaccurate may be able to force an error that causes the product to crash or exit out of its current operation.

CVE-2002-0574
chain: reference count is not decremented, leading to memory leak in OS by sending ICMP packets.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-0574

CVE-2004-0114
Reference count for shared memory not decremented when a function fails, potentially allowing unprivileged users to read kernel memory.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0114

CVE-2006-3741
chain: improper reference count tracking leads to file descriptor consumption
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-3741

CVE-2007-1383
chain: integer overflow in reference counter causes the same variable to be destroyed twice.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2007-1383

CVE-2007-1700
Incorrect reference count calculation leads to improper object destruction and code execution.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2007-1700

CVE-2008-2136
chain: incorrect update of reference count leads to memory leak.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-2136

CVE-2008-2785
chain/composite: use of incorrect data type for a reference counter allows an overflow of the counter, leading to a free of memory that is still in use.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-2785

CVE-2008-5410
Improper reference counting leads to failure of cryptographic operations.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5410

CVE-2009-1709
chain: improper reference counting in a garbage collection routine leads to use-after-free
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-1709

CVE-2009-3553
chain: reference count not correctly maintained when client disconnects during a large operation, leading to a use-after-free.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3553

CVE-2009-3624
Reference count not always incremented, leading to crash or code execution.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3624

CVE-2010-0176
improper reference counting leads to expired pointer dereference.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-0176

CVE-2010-0623
OS kernel increments reference count twice but only decrements once, leading to resource consumption and crash.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-0623

CVE-2010-2549
OS kernel driver allows code execution
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-2549

CVE-2010-4593
improper reference counting leads to exhaustion of IP addresses
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-4593

CVE-2011-0695
Race condition causes reference counter to be decremented prematurely, leading to the destruction of still-active object and an invalid pointer dereference.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-0695

CVE-2012-4787
improper reference counting leads to use-after-free
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-4787

Allowed
This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-12-21
2.4
2013-02-21

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2019-06-20
updated Type

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Relationships, Type

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Description

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-04-27
updated References, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-04-03
4.17
2025-04-03
updated Common_Consequences