Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49493 is a Linux kernel flaw in the rt5645 audio driver. During device removal, cleanup happens in the wrong order, creating a possible use-after-free. The issue is local, not remotely reachable by itself, but the CVSS score rates impact as high for confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Executive priority
Prioritize in normal high-severity kernel patch cycles, with faster handling for endpoints or embedded devices using the rt5645 audio driver. There is no provided evidence of internet exposure or active exploitation, but kernel use-after-free bugs can carry serious local impact.
Technical view
The ASoC rt5645 I2C remove path cancels jack_detect_work before deleting btn_check_timer. The timer callback can requeue jack_detect_work after cancellation, so concurrent removal can reschedule work against freed driver state, producing a potential CWE-416 use-after-free.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Linux systems using affected kernels with the rt5645 ASoC audio codec driver path present. The source data identifies Linux kernel version ranges and upstream stable fixes, but distribution-specific backports require local verification.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction. The provided bundle marks KEV as false and gives no evidence of active exploitation or public weaponization. Treat as a local privilege or stability risk until vendor guidance says otherwise.
Researcher notes
The vulnerability is a race in removal cleanup ordering: del_timer_sync must occur before cancel_delayed_work_sync to prevent callback-driven work requeueing. Evidence is strongest for upstream Linux; affected status in downstream vendor kernels depends on backports and configuration.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor kernel containing the upstream stable rt5645 cleanup-order fix.
- Prioritize devices that expose or load the rt5645 ASoC codec driver.
- Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixed package versions.
- If patching is delayed, follow vendor guidance for supported mitigations.
- Do not rely solely on upstream version numbers for distribution kernels.
Validation and detection
- Inventory running kernel versions and distribution kernel package revisions.
- Check whether the rt5645 driver is built, loaded, or relevant to deployed hardware.
- Compare kernel source or changelog against the listed upstream stable commits.
- Confirm vendor advisory status for each supported Linux distribution.
- Document systems where the driver path is absent or unreachable.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-49493 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- 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
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/236d29c5857f02e0a53fdf15d3dce1536c4322ceCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0941150100173d4eaf3fe08ff4b16740e7c3026fCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/abe7554da62cb489712a54de69ef5665c250e564CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1a5a3dfd9f172dcb115072f0aea5e27d3083c20eCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/061a6159cea583f1155f67d1915917a6b9282662CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88c09e4812d72c3153afc8e5a45ecac2d0eae3ffCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/453f0920ffc1a28e28ddb9c3cd5562472b2895b0CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2def44d3aec59e38d2701c568d65540783f90f2fCVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.