CVE-2022-50179: linux kernel Use-After-Free — Fix

Description

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]

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	2.6.35 — 4.14.291
linux	linux_kernel	4.15 — 4.19.256
linux	linux_kernel	4.20 — 5.4.211
linux	linux_kernel	5.5 — 5.10.137
linux	linux_kernel	5.11 — 5.15.61
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 5.18.18
linux	linux_kernel	5.19 — 5.19.2

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03ca957c5f7b55660957eda20b5db4110319ac7a https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ac4827f78c7ffe8eef074bc010e7e34bc22f533 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62bc1ea5c7401d77eaf73d0c6a15f3d2e742856e https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b14ab47937ba441e75e8dbb9fbfc9c55efa41c6 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab7a0ddf5f1cdec63cb21840369873806fc36d80 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b66ebac40f64336ae2d053883bee85261060bd27 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e9e21206b8ea62220b486310c61277e7ebfe7cec https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eccd7c3e2596b574241a7670b5b53f5322f470e5

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-50179? +

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] It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2022-50179? +

CVE-2022-50179 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-50179? +

CVE-2022-50179 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2022-50179? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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