CVE-2022-49951: firmware_loader: Fix use-after-free during unregister

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-49951 is a high (CVSS 7.8) Use After Free vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.25% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 16% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 18-06-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 11-05-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: firmware_loader: Fix use-after-free during unregister In the following code within firmware_upload_unregister(), the call to device_unregister() could result in the dev_release function freeing the fw_upload_priv structure before it is dereferenced for the call to module_put(). This bug was found by the kernel test robot using CONFIG_KASAN while running the firmware selftests. device_unregister(&fw_sysfs->dev); module_put(fw_upload_priv->module); The problem is fixed by copying fw_upload_priv->module to a local variable for use when calling device_unregister().

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.