CVE-2022-49905 net/smc: Fix possible leaked pernet namespace in smc_init()
A missing error check in the Linux kernel SMC module can cause a page fault and system crash when network namespace registration fails.
- 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-2022-49905?
CVE-2022-49905 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:
net/smc: Fix possible leaked pernet namespace in smc_init()
In smc_init(), register_pernet_subsys(&smc_net_stat_ops) is called without any error handling. If it fails, registering of &smc_net_ops won't be reverted. And if smc_nl_init() fails, &smc_net_stat_ops itself won't be reverted.
This leaves wild ops in subsystem linkedlist and when another module tries to call register_pernet_operations() it triggers page fault:
BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: fffffbfff81b964c RIP: 0010:register_pernet_operations+0x1b9/0x5f0 Call Trace: <TASK> register_pernet_subsys+0x29/0x40 ebtables_init+0x58/0x1000 [ebtables] ...
Weakness: CWE-401
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49905?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-49905?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2022-49905 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49905 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49905, GHSA-8fmx-5gmc-pfcw, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49905.