Linux Kernel up to 5.18.17/5.19.1 wifi phy_div divide by zero

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.17/5.19.1 and classified as critical. The affected element is the function phy_div of the component wifi. This manipulation causes divide by zero. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2022-50178. There is no exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.17/5.19.1. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function phy_div of the component wifi. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a divide by zero vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-369. The product divides a value by zero. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtw89: 8852a: rfk: fix div 0 exception The DPK is a kind of RF calibration whose algorithm is to fine tune parameters and calibrate, and check the result. If the result isn't good enough, it could adjust parameters and try again. This issue is to read and show the result, but it could be a negative calibration result that causes divisor 0 and core dump. So, fix it by phy_div() that does division only if divisor isn't zero; otherwise, zero is adopted. divide error: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 1 PID: 728 Comm: wpa_supplicant Not tainted 5.10.114-16019-g462a1661811a #1 <HASH:d024 28> RIP: 0010:rtw8852a_dpk+0x14ae/0x288f [rtw89_core] RSP: 0018:ffffa9bb412a7520 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00000000000180fc RDI: ffffa141d01023c0 RBP: ffffa9bb412a76a0 R08: 0000000000001319 R09: 00000000ffffff92 R10: ffffffffc0292de3 R11: ffffffffc00d2f51 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: ffffa141d01023c0 R14: ffffffffc0290250 R15: ffffa141d0102638 FS: 00007fa99f5c2740(0000) GS:ffffa142e5e80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000013e8e010 CR3: 0000000110d2c000 CR4: 0000000000750ee0 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: rtw89_core_sta_add+0x95/0x9c [rtw89_core <HASH:d239 29>] rtw89_ops_sta_state+0x5d/0x108 [rtw89_core <HASH:d239 29>] drv_sta_state+0x115/0x66f [mac80211 <HASH:81fe 30>] sta_info_insert_rcu+0x45c/0x713 [mac80211 <HASH:81fe 30>] sta_info_insert+0xf/0x1b [mac80211 <HASH:81fe 30>] ieee80211_prep_connection+0x9d6/0xb0c [mac80211 <HASH:81fe 30>] ieee80211_mgd_auth+0x2aa/0x352 [mac80211 <HASH:81fe 30>] cfg80211_mlme_auth+0x160/0x1f6 [cfg80211 <HASH:00cd 31>] nl80211_authenticate+0x2e5/0x306 [cfg80211 <HASH:00cd 31>] genl_rcv_msg+0x371/0x3a1 ? nl80211_stop_sched_scan+0xe5/0xe5 [cfg80211 <HASH:00cd 31>] ? genl_rcv+0x36/0x36 netlink_rcv_skb+0x8a/0xf9 genl_rcv+0x28/0x36 netlink_unicast+0x27b/0x3a0 netlink_sendmsg+0x2aa/0x469 sock_sendmsg_nosec+0x49/0x4d ____sys_sendmsg+0xe5/0x213 __sys_sendmsg+0xec/0x157 ? syscall_enter_from_user_mode+0xd7/0x116 do_syscall_64+0x43/0x55 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9 RIP: 0033:0x7fa99f6e689b

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-50178 since 06/18/2025. The exploitation appears to be easy. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 5.18.18 or 5.19.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 065e83ac83c0c0e615b96947145c85c4bd76c09a/5abc81a138f873ab55223ec674afc3a3f945d60f/683a4647a7a3044868cfdc14c117525091b9fa0c 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). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality 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

• 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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