CVE-2022-49059

High

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfc: nci: add flush_workqueue to prevent uaf Our detector found a concurrent use-after-free bug when detaching an NCI device. The main reason for this bug is the unexpected scheduling between the used delayed mechanism (timer and workqueue). The race can be demonstrated below: Thread-1 Thread-2 | nci_dev_up() | nci_open_device() | __nci_request(nci_reset_req) | nci_send_cmd | queue_work(cmd_work) nci_unregister_device() | nci_close_device() | ... del_timer_sync(cmd_timer)[1] | ... | Worker nci_free_device() | nci_cmd_work() kfree(ndev)[3] | mod_timer(cmd_timer)[2] In short, the cleanup routine thought that the cmd_timer has already been detached by [1] but the mod_timer can re-attach the timer [2], even it is already released [3], resulting in UAF. This UAF is easy to trigger, crash trace by POC is like below [ 66.703713] ================================================================== [ 66.703974] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in enqueue_timer+0x448/0x490 [ 66.703974] Write of size 8 at addr ffff888009fb7058 by task kworker/u4:1/33 [ 66.703974] [ 66.703974] CPU: 1 PID: 33 Comm: kworker/u4:1 Not tainted 5.18.0-rc2 #5 [ 66.703974] Workqueue: nfc2_nci_cmd_wq nci_cmd_work [ 66.703974] Call Trace: [ 66.703974] <TASK> [ 66.703974] dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x7d [ 66.703974] print_report.cold+0x5e/0x5db [ 66.703974] ? enqueue_timer+0x448/0x490 [ 66.703974] kasan_report+0xbe/0x1c0 [ 66.703974] ? enqueue_timer+0x448/0x490 [ 66.703974] enqueue_timer+0x448/0x490 [ 66.703974] __mod_timer+0x5e6/0xb80 [ 66.703974] ? mark_held_locks+0x9e/0xe0 [ 66.703974] ? try_to_del_timer_sync+0xf0/0xf0 [ 66.703974] ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x17b/0x410 [ 66.703974] ? queue_work_on+0x61/0x80 [ 66.703974] ? lockdep_hardirqs_on+0xbf/0x130 [ 66.703974] process_one_work+0x8bb/0x1510 [ 66.703974] ? lockdep_hardirqs_on_prepare+0x410/0x410 [ 66.703974] ? pwq_dec_nr_in_flight+0x230/0x230 [ 66.703974] ? rwlock_bug.part.0+0x90/0x90 [ 66.703974] ? _raw_spin_lock_irq+0x41/0x50 [ 66.703974] worker_thread+0x575/0x1190 [ 66.703974] ? process_one_work+0x1510/0x1510 [ 66.703974] kthread+0x2a0/0x340 [ 66.703974] ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 [ 66.703974] ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 [ 66.703974] </TASK> [ 66.703974] [ 66.703974] Allocated by task 267: [ 66.703974] kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 [ 66.703974] __kasan_kmalloc+0x81/0xa0 [ 66.703974] nci_allocate_device+0xd3/0x390 [ 66.703974] nfcmrvl_nci_register_dev+0x183/0x2c0 [ 66.703974] nfcmrvl_nci_uart_open+0xf2/0x1dd [ 66.703974] nci_uart_tty_ioctl+0x2c3/0x4a0 [ 66.703974] tty_ioctl+0x764/0x1310 [ 66.703974] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x122/0x190 [ 66.703974] do_syscall_64+0x3b/0x90 [ 66.703974] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [ 66.703974] [ 66.703974] Freed by task 406: [ 66.703974] kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 [ 66.703974] kasan_set_track+0x21/0x30 [ 66.703974] kasan_set_free_info+0x20/0x30 [ 66.703974] __kasan_slab_free+0x108/0x170 [ 66.703974] kfree+0xb0/0x330 [ 66.703974] nfcmrvl_nci_unregister_dev+0x90/0xd0 [ 66.703974] nci_uart_tty_close+0xdf/0x180 [ 66.703974] tty_ldisc_kill+0x73/0x110 [ 66.703974] tty_ldisc_hangup+0x281/0x5b0 [ 66.703974] __tty_hangup.part.0+0x431/0x890 [ 66.703974] tty_release+0x3a8/0xc80 [ 66.703974] __fput+0x1f0/0x8c0 [ 66.703974] task_work_run+0xc9/0x170 [ 66.703974] exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x194/0x1a0 [ 66.703974] syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x19/0x50 [ 66.703974] do_syscall_64+0x48/0x90 [ 66.703974] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0x ---truncated---

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-02-26
Last modified 2025-03-24
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

7.8

out of 10
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-416

CVE-2022-49059 is a Use After Free vulnerability

What is Use After Free?

The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 3.2 and later are affected. Fixed in 4.9.311, 4.14.276, 4.19.239, 5.4.190, 5.10.112, 5.15.35, 5.17.4, 5.18 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 3.2
Fixed in
✓ 4.9.311 4.9.x ✓ 4.14.276 4.14.x ✓ 4.19.239 4.19.x ✓ 5.4.190 5.4.x ✓ 5.10.112 5.10.x ✓ 5.15.35 5.15.x ✓ 5.17.4 5.17.x ✓ 5.18

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2022-49059 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2022-49059?

    CVE-2022-49059 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as an Use After Free flaw (CWE-416) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 3.2 onward and has been patched in 4.9.311, 4.14.276, 4.19.239 and others. CVE-2022-49059 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2022-49059?

    CVE-2022-49059 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2022-49059?

    Yes — CVE-2022-49059 has been patched. Fixed versions include 4.9.311, 4.14.276, 4.19.239 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 3.2 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2022-49059 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2022-49059 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Use After Free (CWE-416)?

    The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. View CWE-416 on MITRE CWE →