CVE-2022-48868: dmaengine: idxd: Let probe fail when workqueue cannot be enabled
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
dmaengine: idxd: Let probe fail when workqueue cannot be enabled
The workqueue is enabled when the appropriate driver is loaded and
disabled when the driver is removed. When the driver is removed it
assumes that the workqueue was enabled successfully and proceeds to
free allocations made during workqueue enabling.
Failure during workqueue enabling does not prevent the driver from
being loaded. This is because the error path within drv_enable_wq()
returns success unless a second failure is encountered
during the error path. By returning success it is possible to load
the driver even if the workqueue cannot be enabled and
allocations that do not exist are attempted to be freed during
driver remove.
Some examples of problematic flows:
(a)
idxd_dmaengine_drv_probe() -> drv_enable_wq() -> idxd_wq_request_irq():
In above flow, if idxd_wq_request_irq() fails then
idxd_wq_unmap_portal() is called on error exit path, but
drv_enable_wq() returns 0 because idxd_wq_disable() succeeds. The
driver is thus loaded successfully.
idxd_dmaengine_drv_remove()->drv_disable_wq()->idxd_wq_unmap_portal()
Above flow on driver unload triggers the WARN in devm_iounmap() because
the device resource has already been removed during error path of
drv_enable_wq().
(b)
idxd_dmaengine_drv_probe() -> drv_enable_wq() -> idxd_wq_request_irq():
In above flow, if idxd_wq_request_irq() fails then
idxd_wq_init_percpu_ref() is never called to initialize the percpu
counter, yet the driver loads successfully because drv_enable_wq()
returns 0.
idxd_dmaengine_drv_remove()->__idxd_wq_quiesce()->percpu_ref_kill():
Above flow on driver unload triggers a BUG when attempting to drop the
initial ref of the uninitialized percpu ref:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000010
Fix the drv_enable_wq() error path by returning the original error that
indicates failure of workqueue enabling. This ensures that the probe
fails when an error is encountered and the driver remove paths are only
attempted when the workqueue was enabled successfully.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Linux kernel issue can let an Intel Data Streaming Accelerator driver load even after setup failed. Later driver removal may try to free resources that were never initialized or were already freed, causing kernel warnings or a NULL pointer crash. The sources do not provide CVSS, CWE, or evidence of active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted kernel reliability issue. Patch during normal Linux kernel maintenance, faster for systems using Intel acceleration hardware or environments where kernel crashes materially affect service availability.
Technical view
The idxd dmaengine driver’s drv_enable_wq() error path returned success after workqueue enable failure if cleanup succeeded. Probe could therefore complete despite failed IRQ setup or uninitialized percpu references. Driver removal then reached cleanup paths that assumed successful initialization, triggering devm_iounmap warnings or a NULL pointer dereference.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel builds with the idxd dmaengine driver path in use. The bundle identifies Linux kernel versions including 5.15, 5.15.90, 6.1.8, and 6.2, but does not fully describe distribution-specific affected ranges.
Exploitation context
No KEV listing is present, and the bundle gives no public exploitation evidence. The described failure depends on workqueue enable errors during idxd driver probing and later driver removal. The practical impact shown is local kernel instability, not remote compromise.
Researcher notes
The fix is error-propagation hardening: drv_enable_wq() must return the original enable failure so probe fails and remove paths do not run against partially initialized workqueues. Source data lacks CVSS, CWE mapping, exploit reports, and precise distro package ranges.
Mitigation direction
Update to a vendor kernel build containing the referenced stable fix commits.
Check Linux distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
Prioritize hosts using Intel idxd or dmaengine acceleration paths.
Avoid unsupported kernel backports unless they preserve the original error return behavior.
Validation and detection
Inventory kernel versions on systems that may use the idxd driver.
Confirm whether idxd hardware and the idxd dmaengine driver are present or loaded.
Review kernel package changelogs for CVE-2022-48868 or the cited stable commits.
Check logs for idxd probe failures, workqueue enable errors, WARNs, or NULL pointer crashes.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
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