Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 ar5523_cmd use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.6$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 and classified as critical. Impacted is the function ar5523_cmd. Executing a manipulation can lead to use after free. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2022-50716. There is not any exploit 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. This vulnerability affects the function ar5523_cmd. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ar5523: Fix use-after-free on ar5523_cmd() timed out syzkaller reported use-after-free with the stack trace like below [1]: [ 38.960489][ C3] ================================================================== [ 38.963216][ C3] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in ar5523_cmd_tx_cb+0x220/0x240 [ 38.964950][ C3] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888048e03450 by task swapper/3/0 [ 38.966363][ C3] [ 38.967053][ C3] CPU: 3 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/3 Not tainted 6.0.0-09039-ga6afa4199d3d-dirty #18 [ 38.968464][ C3] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.0-1.fc36 04/01/2014 [ 38.969959][ C3] Call Trace: [ 38.970841][ C3] <IRQ> [ 38.971663][ C3] dump_stack_lvl+0xfc/0x174 [ 38.972620][ C3] print_report.cold+0x2c3/0x752 [ 38.973626][ C3] ? ar5523_cmd_tx_cb+0x220/0x240 [ 38.974644][ C3] kasan_report+0xb1/0x1d0 [ 38.975720][ C3] ? ar5523_cmd_tx_cb+0x220/0x240 [ 38.976831][ C3] ar5523_cmd_tx_cb+0x220/0x240 [ 38.978412][ C3] __usb_hcd_giveback_urb+0x353/0x5b0 [ 38.979755][ C3] usb_hcd_giveback_urb+0x385/0x430 [ 38.981266][ C3] dummy_timer+0x140c/0x34e0 [ 38.982925][ C3] ? notifier_call_chain+0xb5/0x1e0 [ 38.984761][ C3] ? rcu_read_lock_sched_held+0xb/0x60 [ 38.986242][ C3] ? lock_release+0x51c/0x790 [ 38.987323][ C3] ? _raw_read_unlock_irqrestore+0x37/0x70 [ 38.988483][ C3] ? __wake_up_common_lock+0xde/0x130 [ 38.989621][ C3] ? reacquire_held_locks+0x4a0/0x4a0 [ 38.990777][ C3] ? lock_acquire+0x472/0x550 [ 38.991919][ C3] ? rcu_read_lock_sched_held+0xb/0x60 [ 38.993138][ C3] ? lock_acquire+0x472/0x550 [ 38.994890][ C3] ? dummy_urb_enqueue+0x860/0x860 [ 38.996266][ C3] ? do_raw_spin_unlock+0x16f/0x230 [ 38.997670][ C3] ? dummy_urb_enqueue+0x860/0x860 [ 38.999116][ C3] call_timer_fn+0x1a0/0x6a0 [ 39.000668][ C3] ? add_timer_on+0x4a0/0x4a0 [ 39.002137][ C3] ? reacquire_held_locks+0x4a0/0x4a0 [ 39.003809][ C3] ? __next_timer_interrupt+0x226/0x2a0 [ 39.005509][ C3] __run_timers.part.0+0x69a/0xac0 [ 39.007025][ C3] ? dummy_urb_enqueue+0x860/0x860 [ 39.008716][ C3] ? call_timer_fn+0x6a0/0x6a0 [ 39.010254][ C3] ? cpuacct_percpu_seq_show+0x10/0x10 [ 39.011795][ C3] ? kvm_sched_clock_read+0x14/0x40 [ 39.013277][ C3] ? sched_clock_cpu+0x69/0x2b0 [ 39.014724][ C3] run_timer_softirq+0xb6/0x1d0 [ 39.016196][ C3] __do_softirq+0x1d2/0x9be [ 39.017616][ C3] __irq_exit_rcu+0xeb/0x190 [ 39.019004][ C3] irq_exit_rcu+0x5/0x20 [ 39.020361][ C3] sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0x8f/0xb0 [ 39.021965][ C3] </IRQ> [ 39.023237][ C3] <TASK> In ar5523_probe(), ar5523_host_available() calls ar5523_cmd() as below (there are other functions which finally call ar5523_cmd()): ar5523_probe() -> ar5523_host_available() -> ar5523_cmd_read() -> ar5523_cmd() If ar5523_cmd() timed out, then ar5523_host_available() failed and ar5523_probe() freed the device structure. So, ar5523_cmd_tx_cb() might touch the freed structure. This patch fixes this issue by canceling in-flight tx cmd if submitted urb timed out.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2022-50716 since 12/24/2025. The exploitation appears to be easy. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 04/20/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 280034 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2022-50716), 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 c9ba3fbf6a488da6cad1d304c5234bd8d729eba3/340524ae7b53a72cf5d9e7bd7790433422b3b12f/6447beefd21326a3f4719ec2ea511df797f6c820/7360b323e0343ea099091d4ae09576dbe1f09516/8af52492717e3538eba3f81d012b1476af8a89a6/3eca9697c2f3905dea3ad2fc536ebaa1fbd735bd/601ae89375033ac4870c086e24ba03f235d38e55/9aef34e1ae35a87e5f6a22278c17823b7ce64c88/b6702a942a069c2a975478d719e98d83cdae1797 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 (280034) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2929). 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
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.6

VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 280034
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2022-50716

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: c9ba3fbf6a488da6cad1d304c5234bd8d729eba3/340524ae7b53a72cf5d9e7bd7790433422b3b12f/6447beefd21326a3f4719ec2ea511df797f6c820/7360b323e0343ea099091d4ae09576dbe1f09516/8af52492717e3538eba3f81d012b1476af8a89a6/3eca9697c2f3905dea3ad2fc536ebaa1fbd735bd/601ae89375033ac4870c086e24ba03f235d38e55/9aef34e1ae35a87e5f6a22278c17823b7ce64c88/b6702a942a069c2a975478d719e98d83cdae1797

Timelineinfo

12/24/2025 Advisory disclosed
12/24/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
12/24/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
04/20/2026 +117 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2022-50716 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2022-50716
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-337936
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2929 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 12/24/2025 14:14
Updated: 04/20/2026 23:20
Changes: 12/24/2025 14:14 (58), 12/25/2025 12:16 (1), 12/27/2025 10:03 (2), 12/29/2025 14:04 (7), 03/02/2026 23:15 (1), 04/20/2026 23:20 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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