# CVE-2022-50488: block, bfq: fix possible uaf for 'bfqq->bic'

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel BFQ scheduler allows local attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 4 Oct 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50488, GHSA-ffg4-g8hm-36w4, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50488

## What is CVE-2022-50488?

CVE-2022-50488 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Oct 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:

block, bfq: fix possible uaf for 'bfqq->bic'

Our test report a uaf for 'bfqq->bic' in 5.10:

==================================================================
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in bfq_select_queue+0x378/0xa30

CPU: 6 PID: 2318352 Comm: fsstress Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.10.0-60.18.0.50.h602.kasan.eulerosv2r11.x86_64 #1
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.12.1-0-ga5cab58-20220320_160524-szxrtosci10000 04/01/2014
Call Trace:
 bfq_select_queue+0x378/0xa30
 bfq_dispatch_request+0xe8/0x130
 blk_mq_do_dispatch_sched+0x62/0xb0
 __blk_mq_sched_dispatch_requests+0x215/0x2a0
 blk_mq_sched_dispatch_requests+0x8f/0xd0
 __blk_mq_run_hw_queue+0x98/0x180
 __blk_mq_delay_run_hw_queue+0x22b/0x240
 blk_mq_run_hw_queue+0xe3/0x190
 blk_mq_sched_insert_requests+0x107/0x200
 blk_mq_flush_plug_list+0x26e/0x3c0
 blk_finish_plug+0x63/0x90
 __iomap_dio_rw+0x7b5/0x910
 iomap_dio_rw+0x36/0x80
 ext4_dio_read_iter+0x146/0x190 [ext4]
 ext4_file_read_iter+0x1e2/0x230 [ext4]
 new_sync_read+0x29f/0x400
 vfs_read+0x24e/0x2d0
 ksys_read+0xd5/0x1b0
 do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x61/0xc6

Commit 3bc5e683c67d ("bfq: Split shared queues on move between cgroups")
changes that move process to a new cgroup will allocate a new bfqq to
use, however, the old bfqq and new bfqq can point to the same bic:

1) Initial state, two process with io in the same cgroup.

Process 1       Process 2
 (BIC1)          (BIC2)
  |  Λ            |  Λ
  |  |            |  |
  V  |            V  |
  bfqq1           bfqq2

2) bfqq1 is merged to bfqq2.

Process 1       Process 2
 (BIC1)          (BIC2)
  |               |
   \-------------\|
                  V
  bfqq1           bfqq2(coop)

3) Process 1 exit, then issue new io(denoce IOA) from Process 2.

 (BIC2)
  |  Λ
  |  |
  V  |
  bfqq2(coop)

4) Before IOA is completed, move Process 2 to another cgroup and issue io.

Process 2
 (BIC2)
   Λ
   |\--------------\
   |                V
  bfqq2           bfqq3

Now that BIC2 points to bfqq3, while bfqq2 and bfqq3 both point to BIC2.
If all the requests are completed, and Process 2 exit, BIC2 will be
freed while there is no guarantee that bfqq2 will be freed before BIC2.

Fix the problem by clearing bfqq->bic while bfqq is detached from bic.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50488?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-50488?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-50488 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50488 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-2022-50488 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-50488 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Oct 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-2022-50488 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-2022-50488/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50488/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-50488
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-50488
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-50488

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50488/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.