Kernel compromise via stale UCSI sysfs entry
Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.19 allows local users to compromise the kernel by reading a stale UCSI power-supply sysfs entry. A failed ucsi_register_altmodes path leaves a power device registered after ucsi_unregister_connectors frees its connector array, so sysfs retains dangling descriptor and driver-data pointers. A low-privileged user on an affected UCSI system can read the world-readable entry to invoke a freed callback, enabling kernel memory access or a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.19 allows local users to compromise the kernel by reading a stale UCSI power-supply sysfs entry. A failed ucsi_register_altmodes path leaves a power device registered after ucsi_unregister_connectors frees its connector array, so sysfs retains dangling descriptor and driver-data pointers. A low-privileged user on an affected UCSI system can read the world-readable entry to invoke a freed callback, enabling kernel memory access or a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-49944
- Published
- Jun 18, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 18, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.19
- Affected versionversion=87d0e2f41b8cc2018499be4e8003fa8c09b6f2fb <3d4044c9e6d2e3f11f1f8b5e0ee8647d3eb1afad
- Affected versionversion=87d0e2f41b8cc2018499be4e8003fa8c09b6f2fb <5f73aa2cf8bef4a39baa1591c3144ede4788826e
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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