CVE-2022-50149: driver core: fix potential deadlock in __driver_attach

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-50149 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) Improper Locking vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.15% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 3.9% 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: driver core: fix potential deadlock in __driver_attach In __driver_attach function, There are also AA deadlock problem, like the commit b232b02bf3c2 ("driver core: fix deadlock in __device_attach"). stack like commit b232b02bf3c2 ("driver core: fix deadlock in __device_attach"). list below: In __driver_attach function, The lock holding logic is as follows: ... __driver_attach if (driver_allows_async_probing(drv)) device_lock(dev) // get lock dev async_schedule_dev(__driver_attach_async_helper, dev); // func async_schedule_node async_schedule_node_domain(func) entry = kzalloc(sizeof(struct async_entry), GFP_ATOMIC); /* when fail or work limit, sync to execute func, but __driver_attach_async_helper will get lock dev as will, which will lead to A-A deadlock. */ if (!entry || atomic_read(&entry_count) > MAX_WORK) { func; else queue_work_node(node, system_unbound_wq, &entry->work) device_unlock(dev) As above show, when it is allowed to do async probes, because of out of memory or work limit, async work is not be allowed, to do sync execute instead. it will lead to A-A deadlock because of __driver_attach_async_helper getting lock dev. Reproduce: and it can be reproduce by make the condition (if (!entry || atomic_read(&entry_count) > MAX_WORK)) untenable, like below: [ 370.785650] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. [ 370.787154] task:swapper/0 state:D stack: 0 pid: 1 ppid: 0 flags:0x00004000 [ 370.788865] Call Trace: [ 370.789374] <TASK> [ 370.789841] __schedule+0x482/0x1050 [ 370.790613] schedule+0x92/0x1a0 [ 370.791290] schedule_preempt_disabled+0x2c/0x50 [ 370.792256] __mutex_lock.isra.0+0x757/0xec0 [ 370.793158] __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x1f/0x30 [ 370.794079] mutex_lock+0x50/0x60 [ 370.794795] __device_driver_lock+0x2f/0x70 [ 370.795677] ? driver_probe_device+0xd0/0xd0 [ 370.796576] __driver_attach_async_helper+0x1d/0xd0 [ 370.797318] ? driver_probe_device+0xd0/0xd0 [ 370.797957] async_schedule_node_domain+0xa5/0xc0 [ 370.798652] async_schedule_node+0x19/0x30 [ 370.799243] __driver_attach+0x246/0x290 [ 370.799828] ? driver_allows_async_probing+0xa0/0xa0 [ 370.800548] bus_for_each_dev+0x9d/0x130 [ 370.801132] driver_attach+0x22/0x30 [ 370.801666] bus_add_driver+0x290/0x340 [ 370.802246] driver_register+0x88/0x140 [ 370.802817] ? virtio_scsi_init+0x116/0x116 [ 370.803425] scsi_register_driver+0x1a/0x30 [ 370.804057] init_sd+0x184/0x226 [ 370.804533] do_one_initcall+0x71/0x3a0 [ 370.805107] kernel_init_freeable+0x39a/0x43a [ 370.805759] ? rest_init+0x150/0x150 [ 370.806283] kernel_init+0x26/0x230 [ 370.806799] ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 To fix the deadlock, move the async_schedule_dev outside device_lock, as we can see, in async_schedule_node_domain, the parameter of queue_work_node is system_unbound_wq, so it can accept concurrent operations. which will also not change the code logic, and will not lead to deadlock.

• CWE-667Improper LockingThe product does not properly acquire or release a lock on a resource, leading to unexpected resource state changes and behaviors.