CVE-2022-50725 media: vidtv: Fix use-after-free in vidtv_bridge_dvb_init()
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel vidtv driver allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via improper error handling.
- 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-2022-50725?
CVE-2022-50725 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 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:
media: vidtv: Fix use-after-free in vidtv_bridge_dvb_init()
KASAN reports a use-after-free: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in dvb_dmxdev_release+0x4d5/0x5d0 [dvb_core] Call Trace: ... dvb_dmxdev_release+0x4d5/0x5d0 [dvb_core] vidtv_bridge_probe+0x7bf/0xa40 [dvb_vidtv_bridge] platform_probe+0xb6/0x170 ... Allocated by task 1238: ... dvb_register_device+0x1a7/0xa70 [dvb_core] dvb_dmxdev_init+0x2af/0x4a0 [dvb_core] vidtv_bridge_probe+0x766/0xa40 [dvb_vidtv_bridge] ... Freed by task 1238: dvb_register_device+0x6d2/0xa70 [dvb_core] dvb_dmxdev_init+0x2af/0x4a0 [dvb_core] vidtv_bridge_probe+0x766/0xa40 [dvb_vidtv_bridge] ...
It is because the error handling in vidtv_bridge_dvb_init() is wrong.
First, vidtv_bridge_dmx(dev)_init() will clean themselves when fail, but goto fail_dmx(_dev): calls release functions again, which causes use-after-free.
Also, in fail_fe, fail_tuner_probe and fail_demod_probe, j = i will cause out-of-bound when i finished its loop (i == NUM_FE). And the loop releasing is wrong, although now NUM_FE is 1 so it won't cause problem.
Fix this by correctly releasing everything.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50725?
How do I fix CVE-2022-50725?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2022-50725 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50725 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50725, GHSA-jx9q-5j85-6qhg, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50725.