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CVE Record

CVE-2022-49223: cxl/port: Hold port reference until decoder release

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cxl/port: Hold port reference until decoder release KASAN + DEBUG_KOBJECT_RELEASE reports a potential use-after-free in cxl_decoder_release() where it goes to reference its parent, a cxl_port, to free its id back to port->decoder_ida. BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888119270908 by task kworker/35:2/379 CPU: 35 PID: 379 Comm: kworker/35:2 Tainted: G OE 5.17.0-rc2+ #198 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 Workqueue: events kobject_delayed_cleanup Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x59/0x73 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x1f/0x150 ? to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] kasan_report.cold+0x83/0xdf ? to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] to_cxl_port+0x18/0x90 [cxl_core] cxl_decoder_release+0x2a/0x60 [cxl_core] device_release+0x5f/0x100 kobject_cleanup+0x80/0x1c0 The device core only guarantees parent lifetime until all children are unregistered. If a child needs a parent to complete its ->release() callback that child needs to hold a reference to extend the lifetime of the parent.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-49223 is a Linux kernel use-after-free in the CXL port/decoder lifecycle. A local attacker with low privileges could potentially impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It matters most for systems running affected kernel versions with CXL support in scope. No active exploitation is reported in the provided sources.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority kernel maintenance item, especially for Linux infrastructure where local users, tenants, or workloads are not fully trusted. It is not evidenced as remotely exploitable or actively exploited from the supplied sources.

Technical view

The bug is in Linux kernel cxl/port handling. A decoder release path can reference its parent cxl_port after the parent lifetime has ended. The fix holds a port reference until decoder release. The CVE is classified as CWE-416 with CVSS 3.1 score 7.8, AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Likely exposure

Exposure is local, not network-based. The source data identifies Linux kernel CXL code introduced around 5.14 and references stable kernel fix commits. Exact risk depends on the deployed kernel, enabled CXL functionality, and vendor backports.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector requires local access and low privileges, with no user interaction. The provided evidence shows a KASAN-detected use-after-free during kobject cleanup. There is no KEV listing and no cited evidence of exploitation in the wild.

Researcher notes

The public description centers on parent-child lifetime management in the CXL device model. The child decoder release callback needed a reference to the parent cxl_port. The source bundle is sufficient for root cause and severity, but not for distro-specific package status.

Mitigation direction

  • Check your Linux vendor advisory for CVE-2022-49223 and applicable backported fixes.
  • Update affected kernels to a vendor-supported fixed build.
  • Prioritize systems using or exposing CXL functionality.
  • If patch timing is uncertain, assess whether CXL-related kernel modules or hardware are present.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions across Linux hosts.
  • Compare kernels against vendor guidance and referenced stable fix commits.
  • Confirm whether CXL support is enabled or relevant on affected systems.
  • Verify patched hosts are running the updated kernel after reboot.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
6

Public sources used

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

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2022-49223 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

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

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2022-49223Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

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
cvssV3_1other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux40ba17afdfabb01688c61565dbe02a916241bc05, 40ba17afdfabb01688c61565dbe02a916241bc05, 40ba17afdfabb01688c61565dbe02a916241bc05, 40ba17afdfabb01688c61565dbe02a916241bc05unaffected
LinuxLinux5.14, 0, 5.15.54, 5.16.19, 5.17.2, 5.18affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-416

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-416 · source CWE mapping

Use After Free

Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

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