CVE-2022-50220

usbnet: Fix linkwatch use-after-free on disconnect

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: June 18, 2025 at 11:03 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:23 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.6.38 ≤ v < 4.14.2912.6.38 ≤ v < 4.19.2562.6.38 ≤ v < 4.9.3262.6.38 ≤ v < 5.10.1372.6.38 ≤ v < 5.15.612.6.38 ≤ v < 5.18.182.6.38 ≤ v < 5.19.22.6.38 ≤ v < 5.4.2112.6.38 ≤ v < 6.04.10 ≤ v < 4.14.2914.15 ≤ v < 4.19.2564.20 ≤ v < 5.4.2115.11 ≤ v < 5.15.615.16 ≤ v < 5.18.185.19 ≤ v < 5.19.25.5 ≤ v < 5.10.1372.6.3823f333a2bfafba80339315b724808982a9de57d9
Vendor states this is fixed in 135199a2edd459d2b123144efcd7f9bcd95128e4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 635fd8953e4309b54ca6a81bed1d4a87668694f4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7f77dcbc030c2faa6d8e8a594985eeb34018409e (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8b4588b8b00b299be16a35be67b331d8fdba03f3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a69e617e533edddf3fa3123149900f36e0a6dc74 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in d2d6b530d89b0a912148018027386aa049f0a309 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in d49bb8cf9bfaa06aa527eb30f1a52a071da2e32f (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in db3b738ae5f726204876f4303c49cfdf4311403f (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e2a521a7dcc463c5017b4426ca0804e151faeff7 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.38 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.14.291 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.256 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.9.326 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.137 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.61 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.18.18 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.19.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.211 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.0 (unaffected)

References (9)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/135199a2edd459d2b123144efcd7f9bcd95128e4
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/635fd8953e4309b54ca6a81bed1d4a87668694f4
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f77dcbc030c2faa6d8e8a594985eeb34018409e
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b4588b8b00b299be16a35be67b331d8fdba03f3
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a69e617e533edddf3fa3123149900f36e0a6dc74
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d2d6b530d89b0a912148018027386aa049f0a309
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d49bb8cf9bfaa06aa527eb30f1a52a071da2e32f
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/db3b738ae5f726204876f4303c49cfdf4311403f

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-416

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