CVE-2022-49410 tracing: Fix potential double free in create_var_ref()
A double free vulnerability in the Linux kernel tracing subsystem allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code.
- 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-2022-49410?
CVE-2022-49410 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:
tracing: Fix potential double free in create_var_ref()
In create_var_ref(), init_var_ref() is called to initialize the fields of variable ref_field, which is allocated in the previous function call to create_hist_field(). Function init_var_ref() allocates the corresponding fields such as ref_field->system, but frees these fields when the function encounters an error. The caller later calls destroy_hist_field() to conduct error handling, which frees the fields and the variable itself. This results in double free of the fields which are already freed in the previous function.
Fix this by storing NULL to the corresponding fields when they are freed in init_var_ref().
Weakness: CWE-415
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49410?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-49410?
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-2022-49410 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49410 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49410, GHSA-7vw9-hmx7-h29g, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49410.