Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6 netdevsim nsim_bus_dev_new memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6. The affected element is the function nsim_bus_dev_new of the component netdevsim. This manipulation causes memory leak. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2022-50772. There is no available exploit. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6. Affected by this vulnerability is the function nsim_bus_dev_new of the component netdevsim. 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: netdevsim: fix memory leak in nsim_bus_dev_new() If device_register() failed in nsim_bus_dev_new(), the value of reference in nsim_bus_dev->dev is 1. obj->name in nsim_bus_dev->dev will not be released. unreferenced object 0xffff88810352c480 (size 16): comm "echo", pid 5691, jiffies 4294945921 (age 133.270s) hex dump (first 16 bytes): 6e 65 74 64 65 76 73 69 6d 31 00 00 00 00 00 00 netdevsim1...... backtrace: [<000000005e2e5e26>] __kmalloc_node_track_caller+0x3a/0xb0 [<0000000094ca4fc8>] kvasprintf+0xc3/0x160 [<00000000aad09bcc>] kvasprintf_const+0x55/0x180 [<000000009bac868d>] kobject_set_name_vargs+0x56/0x150 [<000000007c1a5d70>] dev_set_name+0xbb/0xf0 [<00000000ad0d126b>] device_add+0x1f8/0x1cb0 [<00000000c222ae24>] new_device_store+0x3b6/0x5e0 [<0000000043593421>] bus_attr_store+0x72/0xa0 [<00000000cbb1833a>] sysfs_kf_write+0x106/0x160 [<00000000d0dedb8a>] kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x3a8/0x5a0 [<00000000770b66e2>] vfs_write+0x8f0/0xc80 [<0000000078bb39be>] ksys_write+0x106/0x210 [<00000000005e55a4>] do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 [<00000000eaa40bbc>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-50772 since 12/24/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279793 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2022-50772), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.0.7 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 77579e4065295071fbd9662f03430dca5b50b086/cf2010aa1c739bab067cbc90b690d28eaa0b47da 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 (279793) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2929). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.0.0
• 6.0.1
• 6.0.2
• 6.0.3
• 6.0.4
• 6.0.5
• 6.0.6

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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