CVE-2022-50163

CVE-2022-50163 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ax25: fix incorrect dev_tracker usage While investigating a separate rose issue [1], and enabling CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER=y, Bernard reported an orthogonal ax25 issue [2] An ax25_dev can be used by one (or many) struct ax25_cb. We thus need different dev_tracker, one per struct ax25_cb. After this patch is applied, we are able to focus on rose. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/[email protected]/ [2] [ 205.798723] reference already released. [ 205.798732] allocated in: [ 205.798734] ax25_bind+0x1a2/0x230 [ax25] [ 205.798747] __sys_bind+0xea/0x110 [ 205.798753] __x64_sys_bind+0x18/0x20 [ 205.798758] do_syscall_64+0x5c/0x80 [ 205.798763] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [ 205.798768] freed in: [ 205.798770] ax25_release+0x115/0x370 [ax25] [ 205.798778] __sock_release+0x42/0xb0 [ 205.798782] sock_close+0x15/0x20 [ 205.798785] __fput+0x9f/0x260 [ 205.798789] ____fput+0xe/0x10 [ 205.798792] task_work_run+0x64/0xa0 [ 205.798798] exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x18b/0x190 [ 205.798804] syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x26/0x40 [ 205.798808] do_syscall_64+0x69/0x80 [ 205.798812] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [ 205.798827] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 205.798829] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 2605 at lib/ref_tracker.c:136 ref_tracker_free.cold+0x60/0x81 [ 205.798837] Modules linked in: rose netrom mkiss ax25 rfcomm cmac algif_hash algif_skcipher af_alg bnep snd_hda_codec_hdmi nls_iso8859_1 i915 rtw88_8821ce rtw88_8821c x86_pkg_temp_thermal rtw88_pci intel_powerclamp rtw88_core snd_hda_codec_realtek snd_hda_codec_generic ledtrig_audio coretemp snd_hda_intel kvm_intel snd_intel_dspcfg mac80211 snd_hda_codec kvm i2c_algo_bit drm_buddy drm_dp_helper btusb drm_kms_helper snd_hwdep btrtl snd_hda_core btbcm joydev crct10dif_pclmul btintel crc32_pclmul ghash_clmulni_intel mei_hdcp btmtk intel_rapl_msr aesni_intel bluetooth input_leds snd_pcm crypto_simd syscopyarea processor_thermal_device_pci_legacy sysfillrect cryptd intel_soc_dts_iosf snd_seq sysimgblt ecdh_generic fb_sys_fops rapl libarc4 processor_thermal_device intel_cstate processor_thermal_rfim cec snd_timer ecc snd_seq_device cfg80211 processor_thermal_mbox mei_me processor_thermal_rapl mei rc_core at24 snd intel_pch_thermal intel_rapl_common ttm soundcore int340x_thermal_zone video [ 205.798948] mac_hid acpi_pad sch_fq_codel ipmi_devintf ipmi_msghandler drm msr parport_pc ppdev lp parport ramoops pstore_blk reed_solomon pstore_zone efi_pstore ip_tables x_tables autofs4 hid_generic usbhid hid i2c_i801 i2c_smbus r8169 xhci_pci ahci libahci realtek lpc_ich xhci_pci_renesas [last unloaded: ax25] [ 205.798992] CPU: 2 PID: 2605 Comm: ax25ipd Not tainted 5.18.11-F6BVP #3 [ 205.798996] Hardware name: To be filled by O.E.M. To be filled by O.E.M./CK3, BIOS 5.011 09/16/2020 [ 205.798999] RIP: 0010:ref_tracker_free.cold+0x60/0x81 [ 205.799005] Code: e8 d2 01 9b ff 83 7b 18 00 74 14 48 c7 c7 2f d7 ff 98 e8 10 6e fc ff 8b 7b 18 e8 b8 01 9b ff 4c 89 ee 4c 89 e7 e8 5d fd 07 00 <0f> 0b b8 ea ff ff ff e9 30 05 9b ff 41 0f b6 f7 48 c7 c7 a0 fa 4e [ 205.799008] RSP: 0018:ffffaf5281073958 EFLAGS: 00010286 [ 205.799011] RAX: 0000000080000000 RBX: ffff9a0bd687ebe0 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 205.799014] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 0000000000000282 RDI: 00000000ffffffff [ 205.799016] RBP: ffffaf5281073a10 R08: 0000000000000003 R09: fffffffffffd5618 [ 205.799019] R10: 0000000000ffff10 R11: 000000000000000f R12: ffff9a0bc53384d0 [ 205.799022] R13: 0000000000000282 R14: 00000000ae000001 R15: 0000000000000001 [ 205.799024] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9a0d0f300000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 205.799028] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 205.799031] CR2: 00007ff6b8311554 CR3: 000000001ac10004 CR4: 00000000001706e0 [ 205.799033] Call Trace: [ 205.799035] <TASK> [ 205.799038] ? ax25_dev_device_down+0xd9/ ---truncated---

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-50163?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ax25: fix incorrect dev_tracker usage While investigating a separate rose issue [1], and enabling CONFIG_NET_DEV_REFCNT_TRACKER=y, Bernard reported an orthogonal ax25 issue [2] An ax25_dev can be used by one (or many) struct ax25_cb. We thus need different dev_tracker, one per struct ax25_cb. After this patch is applied, we are able to focus on rose. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/[email protected]/ [2] [ 205.798723] reference already released. [ 205.798732] allocated in: [ 205.798734] ax25_bind+0x1a2/0x230 [ax25] [ 205.798747] __sys_bind+0xea/0x110 [ 205.798753] __x64_sys_bind+0x18/0x20 [ 205.798758] do_syscall_64+0x5c/0x80 [ 205.798763] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [ 205.798768] freed in: [ 205.798770] ax25_release+0x115/0x370 [ax25] [ 205.798778] __sock_release+0x42/0xb0 [ 205.798782] sock_close+0x15/0x20 [ 205.798785] __fput+0x9f/0x260 [ 205.798789] ____fput+0xe/0x10 [ 205.798792] task_work_run+0x64/0xa0 [ 205.798798] exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x18b/0x190 [ 205.798804] syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x26/0x40 [ 205.798808] do_syscall_64+0x69/0x80 [ 205.798812] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [ 205.798827] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 205.798829] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 2605 at lib/ref_tracker.c:136 ref_tracker_free.cold+0x60/0x81 [ 205.798837] Modules linked in: rose netrom mkiss ax25 rfcomm cmac algif_hash algif_skcipher af_alg bnep snd_hda_codec_hdmi nls_iso8859_1 i915 rtw88_8821ce rtw88_8821c x86_pkg_temp_thermal rtw88_pci intel_powerclamp rtw88_core snd_hda_codec_realtek snd_hda_codec_generic ledtrig_audio coretemp snd_hda_intel kvm_intel snd_intel_dspcfg mac80211 snd_hda_codec kvm i2c_algo_bit drm_buddy drm_dp_helper btusb drm_kms_helper snd_hwdep btrtl snd_hda_core btbcm joydev crct10dif_pclmul btintel crc32_pclmul ghash_clmulni_intel mei_hdcp btmtk intel_rapl_msr aesni_intel bluetooth input_leds snd_pcm crypto_simd syscopyarea processor_thermal_device_pci_legacy sysfillrect cryptd intel_soc_dts_iosf snd_seq sysimgblt ecdh_generic fb_sys_fops rapl libarc4 processor_thermal_device intel_cstate processor_thermal_rfim cec snd_timer ecc snd_seq_device cfg80211 processor_thermal_mbox mei_me processor_thermal_rapl mei rc_core at24 snd intel_pch_thermal intel_rapl_common ttm soundcore int340x_thermal_zone video [ 205.798948] mac_hid acpi_pad sch_fq_codel ipmi_devintf ipmi_msghandler drm msr parport_pc ppdev lp parport ramoops pstore_blk reed_solomon pstore_zone efi_pstore ip_tables x_tables autofs4 hid_generic usbhid hid i2c_i801 i2c_smbus r8169 xhci_pci ahci libahci realtek lpc_ich xhci_pci_renesas [last unloaded: ax25] [ 205.798992] CPU: 2 PID: 2605 Comm: ax25ipd Not tainted 5.18.11-F6BVP #3 [ 205.798996] Hardware name: To be filled by O.E.M. To be filled by O.E.M./CK3, BIOS 5.011 09/16/2020 [ 205.798999] RIP: 0010:ref_tracker_free.cold+0x60/0x81 [ 205.799005] Code: e8 d2 01 9b ff 83 7b 18 00 74 14 48 c7 c7 2f d7 ff 98 e8 10 6e fc ff 8b 7b 18 e8 b8 01 9b ff 4c 89 ee 4c 89 e7 e8 5d fd 07 00 <0f> 0b b8 ea ff ff ff e9 30 05 9b ff 41 0f b6 f7 48 c7 c7 a0 fa 4e [ 205.799008] RSP: 0018:ffffaf5281073958 EFLAGS: 00010286 [ 205.799011] RAX: 0000000080000000 RBX: ffff9a0bd687ebe0 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 205.799014] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 0000000000000282 RDI: 00000000ffffffff [ 205.799016] RBP: ffffaf5281073a10 R08: 0000000000000003 R09: fffffffffffd5618 [ 205.799019] R10: 0000000000ffff10 R11: 000000000000000f R12: ffff9a0bc53384d0 [ 205.799022] R13: 0000000000000282 R14: 00000000ae000001 R15: 0000000000000001 [ 205.799024] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9a0d0f300000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 205.799028] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 205.799031] CR2: 00007ff6b8311554 CR3: 000000001ac10004 CR4: 00000000001706e0 [ 205.799033] Call Trace: [ 205.799035] <TASK> [ 205.799038] ? ax25_dev_device_down+0xd9/ ---truncated---
How severe is CVE-2022-50163?
CVE-2022-50163 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-50163 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (11th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-50163?
CVE-2022-50163 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50163?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2022-50163 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2022-50163 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2022-55428.
When was CVE-2022-50163 published?
CVE-2022-50163 was published on 2025-06-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (7)

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