usbnet: Fix linkwatch use-after-free on disconnect
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: 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: usbnet: Fix linkwatch use-after-free on disconnect usbnet uses the work usbnet_deferred_kevent() to perform tasks which may sleep. On disconnect, completion of the work was originally awaited in ->ndo_stop(). But in 2003, that was moved to ->disconnect() by historic commit "[PATCH] USB: usbnet, prevent exotic rtnl deadlock": https://git.kernel.org/tglx/history/c/0f138bbfd83c The change was made because back then, the kernel's workqueue implementation did not allow waiting for a single work. One had to wait for completion of *all* work by calling flush_scheduled_work(), and that could deadlock when waiting for usbnet_deferred_kevent() with rtnl_mutex held in ->ndo_stop(). The commit solved one problem but created another: It causes a use-after-free in USB Ethernet drivers aqc111.c, asix_devices.c, ax88179_178a.c, ch9200.c and smsc75xx.c: * If the drivers receive a link change interrupt immediately before disconnect, they raise EVENT_LINK_RESET in their (non-sleepable) ->status() callback and schedule usbnet_deferred_kevent(). * usbnet_deferred_kevent() invokes the driver's ->link_reset() callback, which calls netif_carrier_{on,off}(). * That in turn schedules the work linkwatch_event(). Because usbnet_deferred_kevent() is awaited after unregister_netdev(), netif_carrier_{on,off}() may operate on an unregistered netdev and linkwatch_event() may run after free_netdev(), causing a use-after-free. In 2010, usbnet was changed to only wait for a single instance of usbnet_deferred_kevent() instead of *all* work by commit 23f333a2bfaf ("drivers/net: don't use flush_scheduled_work()"). Unfortunately the commit neglected to move the wait back to ->ndo_stop(). Rectify that omission at long last.
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 | 2.6.38 and later | 4.9.326, 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 2.6.38 and later Fixed in 4.9.326, 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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 to before 4.9.326; 4.10 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 2.6.38 to before 4.9.326; 4.10 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 4.9.326, 4.14.291, 4.19.256, 5.4.211, 5.10.137, 5.15.61, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, 6.0
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 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-50220
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rr3g-h623-26gf
- 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d2d6b530d89b0a912148018027386aa049f0a309
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2a521a7dcc463c5017b4426ca0804e151faeff7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f77dcbc030c2faa6d8e8a594985eeb34018409e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b4588b8b00b299be16a35be67b331d8fdba03f3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/135199a2edd459d2b123144efcd7f9bcd95128e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/635fd8953e4309b54ca6a81bed1d4a87668694f4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d49bb8cf9bfaa06aa527eb30f1a52a071da2e32f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/db3b738ae5f726204876f4303c49cfdf4311403f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a69e617e533edddf3fa3123149900f36e0a6dc74
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-2022-50220 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-50220 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rr3g-h623-26gf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-50220 · 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