# CVE-2022-49826: ata: libata-transport: fix double ata_host_put() in ata_tport_add()

> A double free error in the Linux kernel's libata transport layer leads to a null pointer dereference, causing a system crash during device unbinding.

- **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:** 1 May 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49826, GHSA-56f2-3g4j-6qjh, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49826

## What is CVE-2022-49826?

CVE-2022-49826 is a high-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 double ata_host_put() in ata_tport_add()

In the error path in ata_tport_add(), when calling put_device(),
ata_tport_release() is called, it will put the refcount of 'ap->host'.

And then ata_host_put() is called again, the refcount is decreased
to 0, ata_host_release() is called, all ports are freed and set to
null.

When unbinding the device after failure, ata_host_stop() is called
to release the resources, it leads a null-ptr-deref(), because all
the ports all freed and null.

Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000008
CPU: 7 PID: 18671 Comm: modprobe Kdump: loaded Tainted: G            E      6.1.0-rc3+ #8
pstate: 80400009 (Nzcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--)
pc : ata_host_stop+0x3c/0x84 [libata]
lr : release_nodes+0x64/0xd0
Call trace:
 ata_host_stop+0x3c/0x84 [libata]
 release_nodes+0x64/0xd0
 devres_release_all+0xbc/0x1b0
 device_unbind_cleanup+0x20/0x70
 really_probe+0x158/0x320
 __driver_probe_device+0x84/0x120
 driver_probe_device+0x44/0x120
 __driver_attach+0xb4/0x220
 bus_for_each_dev+0x78/0xdc
 driver_attach+0x2c/0x40
 bus_add_driver+0x184/0x240
 driver_register+0x80/0x13c
 __pci_register_driver+0x4c/0x60
 ahci_pci_driver_init+0x30/0x1000 [ahci]

Fix this by removing redundant ata_host_put() in the error path.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49826?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49826?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-49826 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49826 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-2022-49826 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-49826 is a high-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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49826 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-2022-49826/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49826/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49826
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49826
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49826

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49826/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.