# CVE-2022-49236: bpf: Fix UAF due to race between btf_try_get_module and load_module

> A race condition in the Linux kernel BPF subsystem allows a use-after-free, potentially enabling local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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-2022-49236, GHSA-m3vm-45hm-666q, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49236

## What is CVE-2022-49236?

CVE-2022-49236 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:

bpf: Fix UAF due to race between btf_try_get_module and load_module

While working on code to populate kfunc BTF ID sets for module BTF from
its initcall, I noticed that by the time the initcall is invoked, the
module BTF can already be seen by userspace (and the BPF verifier). The
existing btf_try_get_module calls try_module_get which only fails if
mod->state == MODULE_STATE_GOING, i.e. it can increment module reference
when module initcall is happening in parallel.

Currently, BTF parsing happens from MODULE_STATE_COMING notifier
callback. At this point, the module initcalls have not been invoked.
The notifier callback parses and prepares the module BTF, allocates an
ID, which publishes it to userspace, and then adds it to the btf_modules
list allowing the kernel to invoke btf_try_get_module for the BTF.

However, at this point, the module has not been fully initialized (i.e.
its initcalls have not finished). The code in module.c can still fail
and free the module, without caring for other users. However, nothing
stops btf_try_get_module from succeeding between the state transition
from MODULE_STATE_COMING to MODULE_STATE_LIVE.

This leads to a use-after-free issue when BPF program loads
successfully in the state transition, load_module's do_init_module call
fails and frees the module, and BPF program fd on close calls module_put
for the freed module. Future patch has test case to verify we don't
regress in this area in future.

There are multiple points after prepare_coming_module (in load_module)
where failure can occur and module loading can return error. We
illustrate and test for the race using the last point where it can
practically occur (in module __init function).

An illustration of the race:

CPU 0                           CPU 1
			  load_module
			    notifier_call(MODULE_STATE_COMING)
			      btf_parse_module
			      btf_alloc_id	// Published to userspace
			      list_add(&btf_mod->list, btf_modules)
			    mod->init(...)
...				^
bpf_check		        |
check_pseudo_btf_id             |
  btf_try_get_module            |
    returns true                |  ...
...                             |  module __init in progress
return prog_fd                  |  ...
...                             V
			    if (ret < 0)
			      free_module(mod)
			    ...
close(prog_fd)
 ...
 bpf_prog_free_deferred
  module_put(used_btf.mod) // use-after-free

We fix this issue by setting a flag BTF_MODULE_F_LIVE, from the notifier
callback when MODULE_STATE_LIVE state is reached for the module, so that
we return NULL from btf_try_get_module for modules that are not fully
formed. Since try_module_get already checks that module is not in
MODULE_STATE_GOING state, and that is the only transition a live module
can make before being removed from btf_modules list, this is enough to
close the race and prevent the bug.

A later selftest patch crafts the race condition artifically to verify
that it has been fixed, and that verifier fails to load program (with
ENXIO).

Lastly, a couple of comments:

 1. Even if this race didn't exist, it seems more appropriate to only
    access resources (ksyms and kfuncs) of a fully formed module which
    has been initialized completely.

 2. This patch was born out of need for synchronization against module
    initcall for the next patch, so it is needed for correctness even
    without the aforementioned race condition. The BTF resources
    initialized by module initcall are set up once and then only looked
    up, so just waiting until the initcall has finished ensures correct
    behavior.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49236?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49236?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-49236 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49236 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-2022-49236 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-49236 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-2022-49236 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-2022-49236/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49236/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49236
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49236
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49236

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49236/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.