Linux Kernel up to 5.19.1 misc_open probe_count deadlock

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.1. This affects the function misc_open. Performing a manipulation of the argument probe_count results in deadlock. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-50202. No exploit is available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.1. This affects the function misc_open. The manipulation of the argument probe_count with an unknown input leads to a deadlock vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-833. The product contains multiple threads or executable segments that are waiting for each other to release a necessary lock, resulting in deadlock. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM: hibernate: defer device probing when resuming from hibernation syzbot is reporting hung task at misc_open() [1], for there is a race window of AB-BA deadlock which involves probe_count variable. Currently wait_for_device_probe() from snapshot_open() from misc_open() can sleep forever with misc_mtx held if probe_count cannot become 0. When a device is probed by hub_event() work function, probe_count is incremented before the probe function starts, and probe_count is decremented after the probe function completed. There are three cases that can prevent probe_count from dropping to 0. (a) A device being probed stopped responding (i.e. broken/malicious hardware). (b) A process emulating a USB device using /dev/raw-gadget interface stopped responding for some reason. (c) New device probe requests keeps coming in before existing device probe requests complete. The phenomenon syzbot is reporting is (b). A process which is holding system_transition_mutex and misc_mtx is waiting for probe_count to become 0 inside wait_for_device_probe(), but the probe function which is called from hub_event() work function is waiting for the processes which are blocked at mutex_lock(&misc_mtx) to respond via /dev/raw-gadget interface. This patch mitigates (b) by deferring wait_for_device_probe() from snapshot_open() to snapshot_write() and snapshot_ioctl(). Please note that the possibility of (b) remains as long as any thread which is emulating a USB device via /dev/raw-gadget interface can be blocked by uninterruptible blocking operations (e.g. mutex_lock()). Please also note that (a) and (c) are not addressed. Regarding (c), we should change the code to wait for only one device which contains the image for resuming from hibernation. I don't know how to address (a), for use of timeout for wait_for_device_probe() might result in loss of user data in the image. Maybe we should require the userland to wait for the image device before opening /dev/snapshot interface.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2022-50202 since 06/18/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 271309 (EulerOS 2.0 SP13 : kernel (EulerOS-SA-2025-2264)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.14.291, 4.19.256, 5.4.211, 5.10.137, 5.15.61, 5.18.18 or 5.19.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 8c90947e5f1801e6c7120021c6ea0f3ad6a4eb91/5a283b59bce72c05c60e9f0fa92a28b5b850d8bb/3c48d3067eaf878642276f053575a5c642600a50/003a456ae6f70bb97e436e02fc5105be577c1570/2f0e18e0db42f4f8bc87d3d98333680065ceeff8/b8e1ae9433d7bd95f2dcc044a7a6f20a4c40d258/f7042cf9dd40733f387b7cac021e626c74b8856f/8386c414e27caba8501119948e9551e52b527f59 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 databases at Tenable (271309) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1350). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for 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

• 4.14.290
• 4.19.255
• 5.4.210
• 5.10.136
• 5.15.0
• 5.15.1
• 5.15.2
• 5.15.3
• 5.15.4
• 5.15.5
• 5.15.6
• 5.15.7
• 5.15.8
• 5.15.9
• 5.15.10
• 5.15.11
• 5.15.12
• 5.15.13
• 5.15.14
• 5.15.15
• 5.15.16
• 5.15.17
• 5.15.18
• 5.15.19
• 5.15.20
• 5.15.21
• 5.15.22
• 5.15.23
• 5.15.24
• 5.15.25
• 5.15.26
• 5.15.27
• 5.15.28
• 5.15.29
• 5.15.30
• 5.15.31
• 5.15.32
• 5.15.33
• 5.15.34
• 5.15.35
• 5.15.36
• 5.15.37
• 5.15.38
• 5.15.39
• 5.15.40
• 5.15.41
• 5.15.42
• 5.15.43
• 5.15.44
• 5.15.45
• 5.15.46
• 5.15.47
• 5.15.48
• 5.15.49
• 5.15.50
• 5.15.51
• 5.15.52
• 5.15.53
• 5.15.54
• 5.15.55
• 5.15.56
• 5.15.57
• 5.15.58
• 5.15.59
• 5.15.60
• 5.18.0
• 5.18.1
• 5.18.2
• 5.18.3
• 5.18.4
• 5.18.5
• 5.18.6
• 5.18.7
• 5.18.8
• 5.18.9
• 5.18.10
• 5.18.11
• 5.18.12
• 5.18.13
• 5.18.14
• 5.18.15
• 5.18.16
• 5.18.17
• 5.19.0
• 5.19.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

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