net: phy: fix null-ptr-deref while probe() failed
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: fix null-ptr-deref while probe() failed I got a null-ptr-deref report as following when doing fault injection test: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000058 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN PTI CPU: 1 PID: 253 Comm: 507-spi-dm9051 Tainted: G B N 6.1.0-rc3+ Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.13.0-1ubuntu1.1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:klist_put+0x2d/0xd0 Call Trace: <TASK> klist_remove+0xf1/0x1c0 device_release_driver_internal+0x23e/0x2d0 bus_remove_device+0x1bd/0x240 device_del+0x357/0x770 phy_device_remove+0x11/0x30 mdiobus_unregister+0xa5/0x140 release_nodes+0x6a/0xa0 devres_release_all+0xf8/0x150 device_unbind_cleanup+0x19/0xd0 //probe path: phy_device_register() device_add() phy_connect phy_attach_direct() //set device driver probe() //it's failed, driver is not bound device_bind_driver() // probe failed, it's not called //remove path: phy_device_remove() device_del() device_release_driver_internal() __device_release_driver() //dev->drv is not NULL klist_remove() <- knode_driver is not added yet, cause null-ptr-deref In phy_attach_direct(), after setting the 'dev->driver', probe() fails, device_bind_driver() is not called, so the knode_driver->n_klist is not set, then it causes null-ptr-deref in __device_release_driver() while deleting device. Fix this by setting dev->driver to NULL in the error path in phy_attach_direct().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.14 and later | 4.9.335, 4.14.301, 4.19.268, 5.4.226, 5.10.158, 5.15.82, 6.0.12, 6.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.14 and later Fixed in 4.9.335, 4.14.301, 4.19.268, 5.4.226, 5.10.158, 5.15.82, 6.0.12, 6.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.14 to before 4.9.335; 4.10 to before 4.14.301; 4.15 to before 4.19.268; 4.20 to before 5.4.226; 5.5 to before 5.10.158; 5.11 to before 5.15.82; 5.16 to before 6.0.12 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.14 to before 4.9.335; 4.10 to before 4.14.301; 4.15 to before 4.19.268; 4.20 to before 5.4.226; 5.5 to before 5.10.158; 5.11 to before 5.15.82; 5.16 to before 6.0.12 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.9.335, 4.14.301, 4.19.268, 5.4.226, 5.10.158, 5.15.82, 6.0.12, 6.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-49021
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-44h7-hpp5-qghj
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8aaafe0f71314f46a066382a047ba8bb3840d273
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51d7f6b20fae8bae64ad1136f1e30d1fd5ba78f7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0744c7be4de564db03e24527b2e096b7e0e20972
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e21f85d87c836462bb52ef2078ea561260935c1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe6bc99c27c21348f548966118867ed26a9a372c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7730904f50c7187dd16c76949efb56b5fb55cd57
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eaa5722549ac2604ffa56c2e946acc83226f130c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/369eb2c9f1f72adbe91e0ea8efb130f0a2ba11a6
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- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2022-49021 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-49021 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-44h7-hpp5-qghj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-49021 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences