Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 r6040_remove_one reference count

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Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1. This vulnerability affects the function r6040_remove_one. Such manipulation leads to reference count. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2022-50545. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1. Affected by this issue is the function r6040_remove_one. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a reference count vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-911. The product uses a reference count to manage a resource, but it does not update or incorrectly updates the reference count. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: r6040: Fix kmemleak in probe and remove There is a memory leaks reported by kmemleak: unreferenced object 0xffff888116111000 (size 2048): comm "modprobe", pid 817, jiffies 4294759745 (age 76.502s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 c4 0a 04 81 88 ff ff 08 10 11 16 81 88 ff ff ................ 08 10 11 16 81 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff815bcd82>] kmalloc_trace+0x22/0x60 [<ffffffff827e20ee>] phy_device_create+0x4e/0x90 [<ffffffff827e6072>] get_phy_device+0xd2/0x220 [<ffffffff827e7844>] mdiobus_scan+0xa4/0x2e0 [<ffffffff827e8be2>] __mdiobus_register+0x482/0x8b0 [<ffffffffa01f5d24>] r6040_init_one+0x714/0xd2c [r6040] ... The problem occurs in probe process as follows: r6040_init_one: mdiobus_register mdiobus_scan <- alloc and register phy_device, the reference count of phy_device is 3 r6040_mii_probe phy_connect <- connect to the first phy_device, so the reference count of the first phy_device is 4, others are 3 register_netdev <- fault inject succeeded, goto error handling path // error handling path err_out_mdio_unregister: mdiobus_unregister(lp->mii_bus); err_out_mdio: mdiobus_free(lp->mii_bus); <- the reference count of the first phy_device is 1, it is not released and other phy_devices are released // similarly, the remove process also has the same problem The root cause is traced to the phy_device is not disconnected when removes one r6040 device in r6040_remove_one() or on error handling path after r6040_mii probed successfully. In r6040_mii_probe(), a net ethernet device is connected to the first PHY device of mii_bus, in order to notify the connected driver when the link status changes, which is the default behavior of the PHY infrastructure to handle everything. Therefore the phy_device should be disconnected when removes one r6040 device or on error handling path. Fix it by adding phy_disconnect() when removes one r6040 device or on error handling path after r6040_mii probed successfully.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2022-50545 since 10/07/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279908 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4515-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.9.337, 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 a04707f4596952049da05756c27398c34d9a1d36/b4448816e6a565e08236a6009c6bf48c6836cdfd/2ce242e1b9ad31c1f68496b3548e407a8cb2c07d/b0a61359026b57a287a48fbb4ba1d097023eca3e/3d5f83a62e8235d235534b3dc6f197d8a822c269/9b5b50329e2e966831a7237dd6949e7b5362a49a/ad2c8f25457ca9a81e7e958148cbc26600ce3071/5944c25c67de54e0aa53623e1e1af3bf8b16ed44/7e43039a49c2da45edc1d9d7c9ede4003ab45a5f 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 (279908), EUVD (EUVD-2025-32019) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2229). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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

• 4.9.336
• 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

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Reference count
CWE: CWE-911 / CWE-664
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
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Nessus ID: 279908
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4515-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 4.9.337/4.14.303/4.19.270/5.4.229/5.10.163/5.15.86/6.0.16/6.1.2
Patch: a04707f4596952049da05756c27398c34d9a1d36/b4448816e6a565e08236a6009c6bf48c6836cdfd/2ce242e1b9ad31c1f68496b3548e407a8cb2c07d/b0a61359026b57a287a48fbb4ba1d097023eca3e/3d5f83a62e8235d235534b3dc6f197d8a822c269/9b5b50329e2e966831a7237dd6949e7b5362a49a/ad2c8f25457ca9a81e7e958148cbc26600ce3071/5944c25c67de54e0aa53623e1e1af3bf8b16ed44/7e43039a49c2da45edc1d9d7c9ede4003ab45a5f

Timelineinfo

10/07/2025 Advisory disclosed
10/07/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
10/07/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
04/20/2026 +195 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2022-50545 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2022-50545
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-327440
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2229 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/07/2025 19:17
Updated: 04/20/2026 02:11
Changes: 10/07/2025 19:17 (58), 11/22/2025 21:33 (7), 12/22/2025 06:46 (1), 12/26/2025 14:29 (2), 02/04/2026 23:56 (12), 02/05/2026 05:44 (1), 03/01/2026 03:52 (1), 04/20/2026 02:11 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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