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CVE Record

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.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

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.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
4Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1f2bb40337f0df1d9af80793e9fdacff7706e654, 1f2bb40337f0df1d9af80793e9fdacff7706e654, 1f2bb40337f0df1d9af80793e9fdacff7706e654unaffected
LinuxLinux5.15, 0, 5.15.90, 6.1.8, 6.2affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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