Linux Kernel up to 5.19.7 USB usb_gadget_disconnect null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.7. The impacted element is the function usb_gadget_disconnect of the component USB. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2022-49943. There is no available exploit. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.7. Affected by this vulnerability is the function usb_gadget_disconnect of the component USB. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: USB: gadget: Fix obscure lockdep violation for udc_mutex A recent commit expanding the scope of the udc_lock mutex in the gadget core managed to cause an obscure and slightly bizarre lockdep violation. In abbreviated form: ====================================================== WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected 5.19.0-rc7+ #12510 Not tainted ------------------------------------------------------ udevadm/312 is trying to acquire lock: ffff80000aae1058 (udc_lock){+.+.}-{3:3}, at: usb_udc_uevent+0x54/0xe0 but task is already holding lock: ffff000002277548 (kn->active#4){++++}-{0:0}, at: kernfs_seq_start+0x34/0xe0 which lock already depends on the new lock. the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is: -> #3 (kn->active#4){++++}-{0:0}:        lock_acquire+0x68/0x84        __kernfs_remove+0x268/0x380        kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x58/0xac        sysfs_remove_file_ns+0x18/0x24        device_del+0x15c/0x440 -> #2 (device_links_lock){+.+.}-{3:3}:        lock_acquire+0x68/0x84        __mutex_lock+0x9c/0x430        mutex_lock_nested+0x38/0x64        device_link_remove+0x3c/0xa0        _regulator_put.part.0+0x168/0x190        regulator_put+0x3c/0x54        devm_regulator_release+0x14/0x20 -> #1 (regulator_list_mutex){+.+.}-{3:3}:        lock_acquire+0x68/0x84        __mutex_lock+0x9c/0x430        mutex_lock_nested+0x38/0x64        regulator_lock_dependent+0x54/0x284        regulator_enable+0x34/0x80        phy_power_on+0x24/0x130        __dwc2_lowlevel_hw_enable+0x100/0x130        dwc2_lowlevel_hw_enable+0x18/0x40        dwc2_hsotg_udc_start+0x6c/0x2f0        gadget_bind_driver+0x124/0x1f4 -> #0 (udc_lock){+.+.}-{3:3}:        __lock_acquire+0x1298/0x20cc        lock_acquire.part.0+0xe0/0x230        lock_acquire+0x68/0x84        __mutex_lock+0x9c/0x430        mutex_lock_nested+0x38/0x64        usb_udc_uevent+0x54/0xe0 Evidently this was caused by the scope of udc_mutex being too large. The mutex is only meant to protect udc->driver along with a few other things. As far as I can tell, there's no reason for the mutex to be held while the gadget core calls a gadget driver's ->bind or ->unbind routine, or while a UDC is being started or stopped. (This accounts for link #1 in the chain above, where the mutex is held while the dwc2_hsotg_udc is started as part of driver probing.) Gadget drivers' ->disconnect callbacks are problematic. Even though usb_gadget_disconnect() will now acquire the udc_mutex, there's a window in usb_gadget_bind_driver() between the times when the mutex is released and the ->bind callback is invoked. If a disconnect occurred during that window, we could call the driver's ->disconnect routine before its ->bind routine. To prevent this from happening, it will be necessary to prevent a UDC from connecting while it has no gadget driver. This should be done already but it doesn't seem to be; currently usb_gadget_connect() has no check for this. Such a check will have to be added later. Some degree of mutual exclusion is required in soft_connect_store(), which can dereference udc->driver at arbitrary times since it is a sysfs callback. The solution here is to acquire the gadget's device lock rather than the udc_mutex. Since the driver core guarantees that the device lock is always held during driver binding and unbinding, this will make the accesses in soft_connect_store() mutually exclusive with any changes to udc->driver. Lastly, it turns out there is one place which should hold the udc_mutex but currently does not: The function_show() routine needs protection while it dereferences udc->driver. The missing lock and unlock calls are added.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-49943 since 06/18/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 5.19.8 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 1a065e4673cbdd9f222a05f85e17d78ea50c8d9c/1016fc0c096c92dd0e6e0541daac7a7868169903 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1350). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Avamar
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.19.0
• 5.19.1
• 5.19.2
• 5.19.3
• 5.19.4
• 5.19.5
• 5.19.6
• 5.19.7

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion