# CVE-2022-48740: selinux: fix double free of cond_list on error paths

> A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel SELinux module can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to a denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-48740, GHSA-f558-fw4f-vm2c, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-48740

## What is CVE-2022-48740?

CVE-2022-48740 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Jun 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:

selinux: fix double free of cond_list on error paths

On error path from cond_read_list() and duplicate_policydb_cond_list()
the cond_list_destroy() gets called a second time in caller functions,
resulting in NULL pointer deref.  Fix this by resetting the
cond_list_len to 0 in cond_list_destroy(), making subsequent calls a
noop.

Also consistently reset the cond_list pointer to NULL after freeing.

[PM: fix line lengths in the description]

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-48740?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-48740?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-48740 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-48740 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-48740 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-48740 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Jun 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-48740 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48740/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48740/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-48740
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-48740
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-48740

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48740/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.