CVE-2022-50220

Status: AnalyzedHigh (7.8)—

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

usbnet: Fix linkwatch use-after-free on disconnect

usbnet uses the work usbnet_deferred_kevent() to perform tasks which may sleep. On disconnect, completion of the work was originally awaited in ->ndo_stop(). But in 2003, that was moved to ->disconnect() by historic commit "[PATCH] USB: usbnet, prevent exotic rtnl deadlock":

The change was made because back then, the kernel's workqueue implementation did not allow waiting for a single work. One had to wait for completion of *all* work by calling flush_scheduled_work(), and that could deadlock when waiting for usbnet_deferred_kevent() with rtnl_mutex held in ->ndo_stop().

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The commit solved one problem but created another: It causes a use-after-free in USB Ethernet drivers aqc111.c, asix_devices.c, ax88179_178a.c, ch9200.c and smsc75xx.c:

Because usbnet_deferred_kevent() is awaited after unregister_netdev(), netif_carrier_{on,off}() may operate on an unregistered netdev and linkwatch_event() may run after free_netdev(), causing a use-after-free.

In 2010, usbnet was changed to only wait for a single instance of usbnet_deferred_kevent() instead of *all* work by commit 23f333a2bfaf ("drivers/net: don't use flush_scheduled_work()").

Unfortunately the commit neglected to move the wait back to ->ndo_stop(). Rectify that omission at long last.

Technical details traces, logs and code from the original report

  https://git.kernel.org/tglx/history/c/0f138bbfd83c

* If the drivers receive a link change interrupt immediately before
  disconnect, they raise EVENT_LINK_RESET in their (non-sleepable)
  ->status() callback and schedule usbnet_deferred_kevent().
* usbnet_deferred_kevent() invokes the driver's ->link_reset() callback,
  which calls netif_carrier_{on,off}().
* That in turn schedules the work linkwatch_event().

CVSS

Version: 3.1
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base score: 7.8

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.24%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 14
Score date: 10/6/2026

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

🎯 ATT&CK techniques

How this vulnerability is exploited and what the attacker gains, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

ExploitationT1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalationprivilege escalation85 %
Primary impactT1059 Command and Scripting Interpreterexecution75 %

Vulnerabilidad local (AV:L/PR:L) de use-after-free (CWE-416) que permite a un atacante con privilegios ejecutar código tras liberar memoria del kernel durante desconexión USB.

Inferred by our analysis agent from the official description, CVSS vector and CWE, and checked by a supervisor. May contain errors.

🛡️ ATT&CK mitigations that cover these techniques

Execution Prevention Threat Intelligence Program Restrict Web-Based Content Privileged Account Management Limit Software Installation Behavior Prevention on Endpoint

Affected technologies (1)

Linux — Linux Kernel

CWEs

CWE-416

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

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      "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nusbnet: Fix linkwatch use-after-free on disconnect\n\nusbnet uses the work usbnet_deferred_kevent() to perform tasks which may\nsleep.  On disconnect, completion of the work was originally awaited in\n->ndo_stop().  But in 2003, that was moved to ->disconnect() by historic\ncommit \"[PATCH] USB: usbnet, prevent exotic rtnl deadlock\":\n\n  https://git.kernel.org/tglx/history/c/0f138bbfd83c\n\nThe change was made because back then, the kernel's workqueue\nimplementation did not allow waiting for a single work.  One had to wait\nfor completion of *all* work by calling flush_scheduled_work(), and that\ncould deadlock when waiting for usbnet_deferred_kevent() with rtnl_mutex\nheld in ->ndo_stop().\n\nThe commit solved one problem but created another:  It causes a\nuse-after-free in USB Ethernet drivers aqc111.c, asix_devices.c,\nax88179_178a.c, ch9200.c and smsc75xx.c:\n\n* If the drivers receive a link change interrupt immediately before\n  disconnect, they raise EVENT_LINK_RESET in their (non-sleepable)\n  ->status() callback and schedule usbnet_deferred_kevent().\n* usbnet_deferred_kevent() invokes the driver's ->link_reset() callback,\n  which calls netif_carrier_{on,off}().\n* That in turn schedules the work linkwatch_event().\n\nBecause usbnet_deferred_kevent() is awaited after unregister_netdev(),\nnetif_carrier_{on,off}() may operate on an unregistered netdev and\nlinkwatch_event() may run after free_netdev(), causing a use-after-free.\n\nIn 2010, usbnet was changed to only wait for a single instance of\nusbnet_deferred_kevent() instead of *all* work by commit 23f333a2bfaf\n(\"drivers/net: don't use flush_scheduled_work()\").\n\nUnfortunately the commit neglected to move the wait back to\n->ndo_stop().  Rectify that omission at long last."
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      "lang": "es",
      "value": "En el kernel de Linux, se ha resuelto la siguiente vulnerabilidad: usbnet: Se corrige el Use-After-Free de linkwatch al desconectar. usbnet usa la función usbnet_deferred_kevent() para ejecutar tareas que podrían estar en estado de suspensión. Al desconectar, la finalización de la tarea se esperaba originalmente en -&gt;ndo_stop(). Sin embargo, en 2003, esto se trasladó a -&gt;disconnect() mediante el commit histórica \"[PATCH] USB: usbnet, previene el bloqueo rtnl exótico\": https://git.kernel.org/tglx/history/c/0f138bbfd83c. Este cambio se realizó porque, en aquel entonces, la implementación de la cola de trabajo del kernel no permitía esperar una sola tarea. Se debía esperar la finalización de *todas* las tareas llamando a flush_scheduled_work(), lo que podía provocar un bloqueo al esperar usbnet_deferred_kevent() con rtnl_mutex en -&gt;ndo_stop(). El commit resolvió un problema pero creó otro: Provoca un uso después de la liberación en los controladores Ethernet USB aqc111.c, asix_devices.c, ax88179_178a.c, ch9200.c y smsc75xx.c: * Si los controladores reciben una interrupción de cambio de enlace inmediatamente antes de la desconexión, generan EVENT_LINK_RESET en su devolución de llamada -&gt;status() (no inactiva) y programan usbnet_deferred_kevent(). * usbnet_deferred_kevent() invoca la devolución de llamada -&gt;link_reset() del controlador, que llama a netif_carrier_{on,off}(). * Eso a su vez programa el trabajo linkwatch_event(). Dado que usbnet_deferred_kevent() se espera después de unregister_netdev(), netif_carrier_{on,off}() puede operar en un netdev no registrado y linkwatch_event() puede ejecutarse después de free_netdev(), lo que provoca un error de uso después de la liberación. En 2010, se modificó la configuración de usbnet para que solo esperara una instancia de usbnet_deferred_kevent() en lugar de *todo* el trabajo mediante el commit 23f333a2bfaf (\"drivers/net: no usar flush_scheduled_work()\"). Lamentablemente, el commit no retrasó la espera a -&gt;ndo_stop(). Se corrigió esta omisión de una vez."
    }
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  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T05:23:00.390",
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