# 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.

- **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:** 26 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49223, GHSA-vjv2-ppj4-v42p, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49223

## 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 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49223?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49223?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2022-49223 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49223 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-2022-49223/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49223/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49223
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49223
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49223

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49223/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.