CVE-2022-49059

System crash via NCI teardown timer race

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel NCI subsystem before 5.18 allows local users to crash the system while detaching an NCI device. During nci_unregister_device, cleanup deletes cmd_timer and frees ndev without first draining cmd_work, allowing nci_cmd_work to rearm the timer against freed memory. Triggering the demonstrated race requires physical access or CAP_SYS_ADMIN-equivalent privilege; the published proof demonstrates a kernel crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel NCI subsystem before 5.18 allows local users to crash the system while detaching an NCI device. During nci_unregister_device, cleanup deletes cmd_timer and frees ndev without first draining cmd_work, allowing nci_cmd_work to rearm the timer against freed memory. Triggering the demonstrated race requires physical access or CAP_SYS_ADMIN-equivalent privilege; the published proof demonstrates a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49059
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.2
  2. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <1a1748d0dd0f0a98535c6baeef671c8722107639
  3. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <5c63ad2b0a267a524c12c88acb1ba9c2d109a801
  4. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <67677050cecbe0edfdd81cd508415e9636ba7c65
  5. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <7d3232214ca4ea8f7d18df264c3b254aa8089d7f
  6. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <9d243aff5f7e6b04e907c617426bbdf26e996ac8
  7. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <9ded5ae40f4fe37fcc28f36d76bf45df20be5432
  8. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <edd4600120641e1714e30112e69a548cfb68e067
  9. Affected versionversion=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <ef27324e2cb7bb24542d6cb2571740eefe6b00dc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.2; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <1a1748d0dd0f0a98535c6baeef671c8722107639; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <5c63ad2b0a267a524c12c88acb1ba9c2d109a801; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <67677050cecbe0edfdd81cd508415e9636ba7c65; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <7d3232214ca4ea8f7d18df264c3b254aa8089d7f; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <9d243aff5f7e6b04e907c617426bbdf26e996ac8; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <9ded5ae40f4fe37fcc28f36d76bf45df20be5432; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <edd4600120641e1714e30112e69a548cfb68e067; version=6a2968aaf50c7a22fced77a5e24aa636281efca8 <ef27324e2cb7bb24542d6cb2571740eefe6b00dc

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.4SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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