# CVE-2022-49501: usbnet: Run unregister_netdev() before unbind() again

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's USB network driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute code via USB device disconnection.

- **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-2022-49501, GHSA-cx6c-r38j-fxp8, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49501

## What is CVE-2022-49501?

CVE-2022-49501 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:

usbnet: Run unregister_netdev() before unbind() again

Commit 2c9d6c2b871d ("usbnet: run unbind() before unregister_netdev()")
sought to fix a use-after-free on disconnect of USB Ethernet adapters.

It turns out that a different fix is necessary to address the issue:
https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/18b3541e5372bc9b9fc733d422f4e698c089077c.1650177997.git.lukas@wunner.de/

So the commit was not necessary.

The commit made binding and unbinding of USB Ethernet asymmetrical:
Before, usbnet_probe() first invoked the ->bind() callback and then
register_netdev().  usbnet_disconnect() mirrored that by first invoking
unregister_netdev() and then ->unbind().

Since the commit, the order in usbnet_disconnect() is reversed and no
longer mirrors usbnet_probe().

One consequence is that a PHY disconnected (and stopped) in ->unbind()
is afterwards stopped once more by unregister_netdev() as it closes the
netdev before unregistering.  That necessitates a contortion in ->stop()
because the PHY may only be stopped if it hasn't already been
disconnected.

Reverting the commit allows making the call to phy_stop() unconditional
in ->stop().

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49501?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49501?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-49501 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49501 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-2022-49501 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-49501 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-2022-49501 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-2022-49501/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49501/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49501
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49501
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49501

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49501/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.