CVE-2022-50432

CVE-2022-50432 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. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the root node is freed during kernfs_drain(). To prevent this acquire an additional reference for the root of the tree that is removed before calling __kernfs_remove(). Found by syzkaller with the following reproducer (slab_nomerge is required): syz_mount_image$ext4(0x0, &(0x7f0000000100)='./file0\x00', 0x100000, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0) r0 = openat(0xffffffffffffff9c, &(0x7f0000000080)='/proc/self/exe\x00', 0x0, 0x0) close(r0) pipe2(&(0x7f0000000140)={0xffffffffffffffff, <r1=>0xffffffffffffffff}, 0x800) mount$9p_fd(0x0, &(0x7f0000000040)='./file0\x00', &(0x7f00000000c0), 0x408, &(0x7f0000000280)={'trans=fd,', {'rfdno', 0x3d, r0}, 0x2c, {'wfdno', 0x3d, r1}, 0x2c, {[{@cache_loose}, {@mmap}, {@loose}, {@loose}, {@mmap}], [{@mask={'mask', 0x3d, '^MAY_EXEC'}}, {@fsmagic={'fsmagic', 0x3d, 0x10001}}, {@dont_hash}]}}) Sample report: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __kernfs_remove.part.0+0x843/0x960 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1369 Read of size 2 at addr ffff8880088807f0 by task syz-executor.2/857 CPU: 0 PID: 857 Comm: syz-executor.2 Not tainted 6.0.0-rc3-00363-g7726d4c3e60b #5 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.15.0-1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x6e/0x91 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:317 [inline] print_report.cold+0x5e/0x5e5 mm/kasan/report.c:433 kasan_report+0xa3/0x130 mm/kasan/report.c:495 kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261 [inline] __kernfs_remove.part.0+0x843/0x960 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1369 __kernfs_remove fs/kernfs/dir.c:1356 [inline] kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x108/0x190 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1589 sysfs_slab_add+0x133/0x1e0 mm/slub.c:5943 __kmem_cache_create+0x3e0/0x550 mm/slub.c:4899 create_cache mm/slab_common.c:229 [inline] kmem_cache_create_usercopy+0x167/0x2a0 mm/slab_common.c:335 p9_client_create+0xd4d/0x1190 net/9p/client.c:993 v9fs_session_init+0x1e6/0x13c0 fs/9p/v9fs.c:408 v9fs_mount+0xb9/0xbd0 fs/9p/vfs_super.c:126 legacy_get_tree+0xf1/0x200 fs/fs_context.c:610 vfs_get_tree+0x85/0x2e0 fs/super.c:1530 do_new_mount fs/namespace.c:3040 [inline] path_mount+0x675/0x1d00 fs/namespace.c:3370 do_mount fs/namespace.c:3383 [inline] __do_sys_mount fs/namespace.c:3591 [inline] __se_sys_mount fs/namespace.c:3568 [inline] __x64_sys_mount+0x282/0x300 fs/namespace.c:3568 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x38/0x90 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x7f725f983aed Code: 02 b8 ff ff ff ff c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 b0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007f725f0f7028 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 00000000000000a5 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f725faa3f80 RCX: 00007f725f983aed RDX: 00000000200000c0 RSI: 0000000020000040 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: 00007f725f9f419c R08: 0000000020000280 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000408 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000006 R14: 00007f725faa3f80 R15: 00007f725f0d7000 </TASK> Allocated by task 855: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 mm/kasan/common.c:38 kasan_set_track mm/kasan/common.c:45 [inline] set_alloc_info mm/kasan/common.c:437 [inline] __kasan_slab_alloc+0x66/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:470 kasan_slab_alloc include/linux/kasan.h:224 [inline] slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slab.h:7 ---truncated---

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-50432?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the root node is freed during kernfs_drain(). To prevent this acquire an additional reference for the root of the tree that is removed before calling __kernfs_remove(). Found by syzkaller with the following reproducer (slab_nomerge is required): syz_mount_image$ext4(0x0, &(0x7f0000000100)='./file0\x00', 0x100000, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0) r0 = openat(0xffffffffffffff9c, &(0x7f0000000080)='/proc/self/exe\x00', 0x0, 0x0) close(r0) pipe2(&(0x7f0000000140)={0xffffffffffffffff, <r1=>0xffffffffffffffff}, 0x800) mount$9p_fd(0x0, &(0x7f0000000040)='./file0\x00', &(0x7f00000000c0), 0x408, &(0x7f0000000280)={'trans=fd,', {'rfdno', 0x3d, r0}, 0x2c, {'wfdno', 0x3d, r1}, 0x2c, {[{@cache_loose}, {@mmap}, {@loose}, {@loose}, {@mmap}], [{@mask={'mask', 0x3d, '^MAY_EXEC'}}, {@fsmagic={'fsmagic', 0x3d, 0x10001}}, {@dont_hash}]}}) Sample report: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __kernfs_remove.part.0+0x843/0x960 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1369 Read of size 2 at addr ffff8880088807f0 by task syz-executor.2/857 CPU: 0 PID: 857 Comm: syz-executor.2 Not tainted 6.0.0-rc3-00363-g7726d4c3e60b #5 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.15.0-1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x6e/0x91 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:317 [inline] print_report.cold+0x5e/0x5e5 mm/kasan/report.c:433 kasan_report+0xa3/0x130 mm/kasan/report.c:495 kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261 [inline] __kernfs_remove.part.0+0x843/0x960 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1369 __kernfs_remove fs/kernfs/dir.c:1356 [inline] kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x108/0x190 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1589 sysfs_slab_add+0x133/0x1e0 mm/slub.c:5943 __kmem_cache_create+0x3e0/0x550 mm/slub.c:4899 create_cache mm/slab_common.c:229 [inline] kmem_cache_create_usercopy+0x167/0x2a0 mm/slab_common.c:335 p9_client_create+0xd4d/0x1190 net/9p/client.c:993 v9fs_session_init+0x1e6/0x13c0 fs/9p/v9fs.c:408 v9fs_mount+0xb9/0xbd0 fs/9p/vfs_super.c:126 legacy_get_tree+0xf1/0x200 fs/fs_context.c:610 vfs_get_tree+0x85/0x2e0 fs/super.c:1530 do_new_mount fs/namespace.c:3040 [inline] path_mount+0x675/0x1d00 fs/namespace.c:3370 do_mount fs/namespace.c:3383 [inline] __do_sys_mount fs/namespace.c:3591 [inline] __se_sys_mount fs/namespace.c:3568 [inline] __x64_sys_mount+0x282/0x300 fs/namespace.c:3568 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x38/0x90 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x7f725f983aed Code: 02 b8 ff ff ff ff c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 b0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007f725f0f7028 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 00000000000000a5 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f725faa3f80 RCX: 00007f725f983aed RDX: 00000000200000c0 RSI: 0000000020000040 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: 00007f725f9f419c R08: 0000000020000280 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000408 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000006 R14: 00007f725faa3f80 R15: 00007f725f0d7000 </TASK> Allocated by task 855: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 mm/kasan/common.c:38 kasan_set_track mm/kasan/common.c:45 [inline] set_alloc_info mm/kasan/common.c:437 [inline] __kasan_slab_alloc+0x66/0x80 mm/kasan/common.c:470 kasan_slab_alloc include/linux/kasan.h:224 [inline] slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slab.h:7 ---truncated---
How severe is CVE-2022-50432?
CVE-2022-50432 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-2022-50432 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (5th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-50432?
CVE-2022-50432 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50432?
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-2022-50432 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2022-50432 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-32838.
When was CVE-2022-50432 published?
CVE-2022-50432 was published on 2025-10-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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