CVE-2022-49223 cxl/port: Hold port reference until decoder release
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel CXL subsystem allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted memory access.
- 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
What is CVE-2022-49223?
CVE-2022-49223 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 26 Feb 2025. 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:
cxl/port: Hold port reference until decoder release
KASAN + DEBUG_KOBJECT_RELEASE reports a potential use-after-free in cxl_decoder_release() where it goes to reference its parent, a cxl_port, to free its id back to port->decoder_ida.
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888119270908 by task kworker/35:2/379
CPU: 35 PID: 379 Comm: kworker/35:2 Tainted: G OE 5.17.0-rc2+ #198 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 Workqueue: events kobject_delayed_cleanup Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x59/0x73 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x1f/0x150 ? to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] kasan_report.cold+0x83/0xdf ? to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] cxl_decoder_release+0x2a/0x60 [cxl_core] device_release+0x5f/0x100 kobject_cleanup+0x80/0x1c0
The device core only guarantees parent lifetime until all children are unregistered. If a child needs a parent to complete its ->release() callback that child needs to hold a reference to extend the lifetime of the parent.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49223?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-49223?
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-2022-49223 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49223 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49223, GHSA-vjv2-ppj4-v42p, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49223.