ath9k: fix use-after-free in ath9k_hif_usb_rx_cb
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 fixed, 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
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]
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 | 2.6.35 and later | 4.14.291, 4.19.256, 5.4.211, 5.10.137, 5.15.61, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, 6.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.35 and later Fixed in 4.14.291, 4.19.256, 5.4.211, 5.10.137, 5.15.61, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, 6.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.35 to before 4.14.291; 4.15 to before 4.19.256; 4.20 to before 5.4.211; 5.5 to before 5.10.137; 5.11 to before 5.15.61; 5.16 to before 5.18.18; 5.19 to before 5.19.2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.35 to before 4.14.291; 4.15 to before 4.19.256; 4.20 to before 5.4.211; 5.5 to before 5.10.137; 5.11 to before 5.15.61; 5.16 to before 5.18.18; 5.19 to before 5.19.2 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.14.291, 4.19.256, 5.4.211, 5.10.137, 5.15.61, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, 6.0
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2024:0412 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.6) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) bpftool-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6, kernel-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6 +19
- Red Hat Virtualization 4 Hypervisor for RHEL 8 kernel-devel-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6, perf-4.18.0-372.87.1.el8_6
- RHSA-2022:8267 Released 2022-11-15 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-debug-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-devel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-abi-stablelists-5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 +14
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 yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0412 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2022:8267 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0412 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 Hypervisor for RHEL 8 | Fixed | RHSA-2024:0412 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-50179
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-92cx-cg65-38vh
- 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62bc1ea5c7401d77eaf73d0c6a15f3d2e742856e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab7a0ddf5f1cdec63cb21840369873806fc36d80
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e9e21206b8ea62220b486310c61277e7ebfe7cec
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eccd7c3e2596b574241a7670b5b53f5322f470e5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03ca957c5f7b55660957eda20b5db4110319ac7a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b14ab47937ba441e75e8dbb9fbfc9c55efa41c6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b66ebac40f64336ae2d053883bee85261060bd27
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ac4827f78c7ffe8eef074bc010e7e34bc22f533
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2022-50179 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-50179 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-92cx-cg65-38vh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-50179 · 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