CVE-2022-48670 peci: cpu: Fix use-after-free in adev_release()

What is CVE-2022-48670?

CVE-2022-48670 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

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

peci: cpu: Fix use-after-free in adev_release()

When auxiliary_device_add() returns an error, auxiliary_device_uninit() is called, which causes refcount for device to be decremented and .release callback will be triggered.

Because adev_release() re-calls auxiliary_device_uninit(), it will cause use-after-free: [ 1269.455172] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 14267 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0x110/0x15 [ 1269.464007] refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-48670?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2022-48670?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2022-48670 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-48670 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as AZL-42265, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-48670, GHSA-7rwg-9ghp-vhxg, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-48670.