Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49524 is a Linux kernel bug in the cx23885 PCI media driver. If a specific driver initialization failure occurs, cleanup is incomplete and can cause a use-after-free. The rated impact is high, but exploitation requires local access and likely depends on affected hardware or driver presence.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority Linux kernel maintenance item for systems using this media driver or matching affected kernel lines. It is not currently supported by provided evidence as internet-exploitable or actively exploited, so prioritize after externally exploitable and KEV-listed issues.
Technical view
The cx23885_initdev() error path failed to release I2C-related resources initialized by cx23885_dev_setup() after dma_set_mask() failure. This could trigger a KASAN-detected use-after-free in removed-driver processing. The issue is classified as CWE-416 with CVSS 3.1 score 7.8, local attack vector, low complexity, and low privileges required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant on Linux systems running affected kernel versions with the cx23885 PCI media driver available or in use. Systems without this driver or related hardware are less likely to be practically exposed. Distribution kernel backports may differ from upstream version numbers.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate active exploitation, and CISA KEV status is false. The CVSS vector requires local access and low privileges, with no user interaction. Practical exploitation details are not established in the provided sources.
Researcher notes
The vulnerability is in driver error handling, not normal packet or network parsing. The affected data lists upstream kernel versions and stable commits, but does not provide distro-specific package status. Validate exposure through driver presence, hardware relevance, and kernel backport evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a kernel containing the referenced stable fixes or your vendor’s backport.
- Check Linux distribution security advisories for CVE-2022-49524 applicability.
- Prioritize systems where the cx23885 driver is present or media capture hardware is installed.
- If patch status is unclear, follow vendor guidance before applying compensating controls.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across affected fleets.
- Determine whether the cx23885 driver is present, enabled, or loaded.
- Confirm the running kernel includes one of the referenced stable commits or a vendor backport.
- Review vendor advisories because distribution version strings may not match upstream affected ranges.
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-2022-49524 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/6041d1a0365baa729b6adfb6ed5386d9388018dbCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b9978e1c94e569d65a0e7e719abb9340f5db4a0CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa636e9ee4442215cd9a2e079cd5a8e1fe0cb8baCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca17e7a532d1a55466cc007b3f4d319541a27493CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98106f100f50c487469903b9cf6d966785fc9cc3CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86bd6a579c6c60547706cabf299cd2c9feab3332CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/453514a874c78df1e7804e6e3aaa60c8d8deb6a8CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e8123311cf06d7dae71e8c5fe78e0510d20cd30bCVE 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.