CVE-2022-49823 ata: libata-transport: fix error handling in ata_tdev_add()
A missing return value check in the Linux kernel's libata transport layer causes a null pointer dereference during module removal, leading to a system crash.
- 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-2022-49823?
CVE-2022-49823 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 May 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:
ata: libata-transport: fix error handling in ata_tdev_add()
In ata_tdev_add(), the return value of transport_add_device() is not checked. As a result, it causes null-ptr-deref while removing the module, because transport_remove_device() is called to remove the device that was not added.
Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000000000000d0 CPU: 13 PID: 13603 Comm: rmmod Kdump: loaded Tainted: G W 6.1.0-rc3+ #36 pstate: 60400009 (nZCv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : device_del+0x48/0x3a0 lr : device_del+0x44/0x3a0 Call trace: device_del+0x48/0x3a0 attribute_container_class_device_del+0x28/0x40 transport_remove_classdev+0x60/0x7c attribute_container_device_trigger+0x118/0x120 transport_remove_device+0x20/0x30 ata_tdev_delete+0x24/0x50 [libata] ata_tlink_delete+0x40/0xa0 [libata] ata_tport_delete+0x2c/0x60 [libata] ata_port_detach+0x148/0x1b0 [libata] ata_pci_remove_one+0x50/0x80 [libata] ahci_remove_one+0x4c/0x8c [ahci]
Fix this by checking and handling return value of transport_add_device() in ata_tdev_add(). In the error path, device_del() is called to delete the device which was added earlier in this function, and ata_tdev_free() is called to free ata_dev.
Weakness: CWE-476
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49823?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-49823?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2022-49823 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49823 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49823, GHSA-4vrr-6gm8-fwf2, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49823.