CVE-2022-50832 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 12/30/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: wilc1000: fix potential memory leak in wilc_mac_xmit()
The wilc_mac_xmit() returns NETDEV_TX_OK without freeing skb, add dev_kfree_skb() to fix it. Compile tested only.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/25/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-50832 affects the Linux kernel's wireless networking subsystem, specifically within the wilc1000 driver implementation. This driver manages wireless network interfaces for certain Wi-Fi chipsets manufactured by Microchip Technology. The flaw resides in the wilc_mac_xmit() function which handles the transmission of network packets through the wireless interface. When this function successfully processes a packet and returns NETDEV_TX_OK, it fails to properly release the associated socket buffer structure, creating a memory management issue that can lead to resource exhaustion over time.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the network driver's transmit path. In kernel space network programming, socket buffers (skb) represent network packets that must be carefully managed to prevent memory leaks. When wilc_mac_xmit() returns NETDEV_TX_OK, it indicates successful packet transmission to the hardware level, but the function does not invoke dev_kfree_skb() to release the memory allocated for the socket buffer. This violates standard kernel memory management practices and creates a potential memory leak condition that can accumulate over time with repeated packet transmissions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a medium to high risk threat to systems running affected Linux kernels with wilc1000 wireless drivers. The memory leak, while not immediately catastrophic, can gradually consume available system memory resources, potentially leading to system performance degradation, reduced network throughput, or in extreme cases, system instability or crashes. The impact is particularly concerning in embedded systems or devices with limited memory resources where such resource exhaustion can occur more rapidly. The vulnerability affects wireless network operations specifically when data packets are being transmitted through the wilc1000 driver, making it relevant to any device utilizing this particular wireless chipset.
The fix for CVE-2022-50832 involves adding a single dev_kfree_skb() call within the wilc_mac_xmit() function to properly release the socket buffer memory when the function returns NETDEV_TX_OK. This remediation aligns with established kernel development practices and follows the principle of resource management where every allocated resource must have a corresponding deallocation. The fix is considered minimal and safe, as it only adds the necessary memory cleanup operation without altering the functional behavior of the driver. This approach addresses the root cause identified by CWE-401, which specifically covers memory leaks in software systems, and represents a fundamental error in resource management that can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1070.004 for legitimate rootkit behavior detection, though in this case it represents a benign but critical resource management error rather than malicious activity.
The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of careful kernel memory management practices and proper resource handling in device drivers. It underscores the necessity of thorough testing and code review processes for kernel subsystems, particularly those handling network traffic where memory leaks can compound over time and affect system stability. System administrators should prioritize updating affected Linux distributions to versions containing this fix, especially in environments where wireless networking is heavily utilized. The fix has been incorporated into mainline kernel releases and is available through standard distribution update channels, making it accessible for immediate deployment across affected systems.