Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 test_firmware_init memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1. Affected by this vulnerability is the function test_firmware_init. This manipulation causes memory leak. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2022-50529. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function test_firmware_init. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: test_firmware: fix memory leak in test_firmware_init() When misc_register() failed in test_firmware_init(), the memory pointed by test_fw_config->name is not released. The memory leak information is as follows: unreferenced object 0xffff88810a34cb00 (size 32): comm "insmod", pid 7952, jiffies 4294948236 (age 49.060s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 74 65 73 74 2d 66 69 72 6d 77 61 72 65 2e 62 69 test-firmware.bi 6e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 n............... backtrace: [<ffffffff81b21fcb>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x4b/0xc0 [<ffffffff81affb96>] kstrndup+0x46/0xc0 [<ffffffffa0403a49>] __test_firmware_config_init+0x29/0x380 [test_firmware] [<ffffffffa040f068>] 0xffffffffa040f068 [<ffffffff81002c41>] do_one_initcall+0x141/0x780 [<ffffffff816a72c3>] do_init_module+0x1c3/0x630 [<ffffffff816adb9e>] load_module+0x623e/0x76a0 [<ffffffff816af471>] __do_sys_finit_module+0x181/0x240 [<ffffffff89978f99>] do_syscall_64+0x39/0xb0 [<ffffffff89a0008b>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-50529 since 10/07/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 4.14.303, 4.19.270, 5.4.229, 5.10.163, 5.15.86, 6.0.16 or 6.1.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch ed5cbafaf7ce8b86f19998c00eb020c8d49b017f/04dd47a2e169f2d4489636afa07ff0469aab49ab/628de998a3abfffb3f9677d2fb39a1d5dcb32fdb/0b5a89e8bce1ea43687742b4de8e216189ff94ac/357379d504c0c8b0834e206ad8c49e4b3c98ed4d/8d8c1d6a430f0aadb80036e2b1bc0a05f9fad247/6dd5fbd243f19f087dc79481acb7d69fb57fea2c/7610615e8cdb3f6f5bbd9d8e7a5d8a63e3cabf2e 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-2025-2229). 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
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.14.302
• 4.19.269
• 5.4.228
• 5.10.162
• 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
• 5.15.61
• 5.15.62
• 5.15.63
• 5.15.64
• 5.15.65
• 5.15.66
• 5.15.67
• 5.15.68
• 5.15.69
• 5.15.70
• 5.15.71
• 5.15.72
• 5.15.73
• 5.15.74
• 5.15.75
• 5.15.76
• 5.15.77
• 5.15.78
• 5.15.79
• 5.15.80
• 5.15.81
• 5.15.82
• 5.15.83
• 5.15.84
• 5.15.85
• 6.0.0
• 6.0.1
• 6.0.2
• 6.0.3
• 6.0.4
• 6.0.5
• 6.0.6
• 6.0.7
• 6.0.8
• 6.0.9
• 6.0.10
• 6.0.11
• 6.0.12
• 6.0.13
• 6.0.14
• 6.0.15
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1

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

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Discussion