# 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.

- **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:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49410, GHSA-7vw9-hmx7-h29g, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49410

## 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 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49410?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49410?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2022-49410 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49410 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-2022-49410/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49410/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49410
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49410
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49410

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49410/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.