Kernel memory corruption via TPM use-after-free
Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel TPM subsystem allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a stale /dev/tpmrm descriptor. tpm_common_write() calls kobject_get() for chip->dev after tpm_chip_unregister() has dropped its reference count to zero because the TPM2 extra reference was never acquired. Reachability requires an open TPM resource-manager descriptor, concurrent removal of tpm_tis_spi, and then a command write; this sequence triggers a refcount warning and stale kernel-object access.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel TPM subsystem allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a stale /dev/tpmrm descriptor. tpm_common_write() calls kobject_get() for chip->dev after tpm_chip_unregister() has dropped its reference count to zero because the TPM2 extra reference was never acquired. Reachability requires an open TPM resource-manager descriptor, concurrent removal of tpm_tis_spi, and then a command write; this sequence triggers a refcount warning and stale kernel-object access.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-49287
- Published
- Feb 26, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=4.12
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <290e05f346d1829e849662c97e42d5ad984f5258
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <2f928c0d5c02dbab49e8c19d98725c822f6fc409
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <473a66f99cb8173c14138c5a5c69bfad04e8f9ac
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <662893b4f6bd466ff9e1cd454c44c26d32d554fe
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <6e7baf84149fb43950631415de231b3a41915aa3
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <7e0438f83dc769465ee663bb5dcf8cc154940712
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <a27ed2f3695baf15f9b34d2d7a1f9fc105539a81
- Affected versionversion=fdc915f7f71939ad5a3dda3389b8d2d7a7c5ee66 <cb64bd038beacb4331fe464a36c8b5481e8f51e2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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