Kernel crash via uncanceled delayed polling work
Published Apr 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel rtsx_usb_ms driver allows local users to crash the system during USB device removal. rtsx_usb_ms_drv_remove frees the host while delayed poll_card work remains queued, so rtsx_usb_ms_poll_card later reads the released object. The path requires the Realtek USB memory-stick driver and a reset or disconnect sequence; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel rtsx_usb_ms driver allows local users to crash the system during USB device removal. rtsx_usb_ms_drv_remove frees the host while delayed poll_card work remains queued, so rtsx_usb_ms_poll_card later reads the released object. The path requires the Realtek USB memory-stick driver and a reset or disconnect sequence; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-22020
- Published
- Apr 16, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 16, 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=5.0
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <0067cb7d7e7c277e91a0887a3c24e71462379469
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <31f0eaed6914333f42501fc7e0f6830879f5ef2d
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <4676741a3464b300b486e70585c3c9b692be1632
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <52d942a5302eefb3b7a3bfee310a5a33feeedc21
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <6186fb2cd36317277a8423687982140a7f3f7841
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <75123adf204f997e11bbddee48408c284f51c050
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <914c5e5bfceb9878f3056eaf4d1c88f2cbe0a185
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <9dfaf4d723c62bda8d9d1340e2e78acf0c190439
- Affected versionversion=6827ca573c03385439fdfc8b512d556dc7c54fc9 <b094e8e3988e02e8cef7a756c8d2cea9c12509ab
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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