# CVE-2022-50179: ath9k: fix use-after-free in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_cb

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the ath9k USB driver allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted USB packets.

- **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:** 18 Jun 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50179, GHSA-92cx-cg65-38vh, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50179

## What is CVE-2022-50179?

CVE-2022-50179 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 Jun 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:

ath9k: fix use-after-free in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_cb

Syzbot reported use-after-free Read in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_cb() [0]. The
problem was in incorrect htc_handle->drv_priv initialization.

Probable call trace which can trigger use-after-free:

ath9k_htc_probe_device()
  /* htc_handle->drv_priv = priv; */
  ath9k_htc_wait_for_target()      <--- Failed
  ieee80211_free_hw()		   <--- priv pointer is freed

<IRQ>
...
ath9k_hif_usb_rx_cb()
  ath9k_hif_usb_rx_stream()
   RX_STAT_INC()		<--- htc_handle->drv_priv access

In order to not add fancy protection for drv_priv we can move
htc_handle->drv_priv initialization at the end of the
ath9k_htc_probe_device() and add helper macro to make
all *_STAT_* macros NULL safe, since syzbot has reported related NULL
deref in that macros [1]

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50179?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-50179?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-50179 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50179 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-2022-50179 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-50179 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 Jun 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-2022-50179 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-2022-50179/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50179/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-50179
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-50179
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-50179

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50179/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.