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CVE Record

CVE-2022-49956: staging: rtl8712: fix use after free bugs

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8712: fix use after free bugs _Read/Write_MACREG callbacks are NULL so the read/write_macreg_hdl() functions don't do anything except free the "pcmd" pointer. It results in a use after free. Delete them.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-49956 is a Linux kernel memory-safety bug in the staging rtl8712 driver. The sources say specific MAC register command handlers could free a command object and then leave code using it. Business urgency depends on whether affected kernels and this driver exist in your fleet.

Executive priority

Do not treat this as confirmed emergency exploitation based on the provided sources. Handle it through kernel patch management, with higher priority for systems using the rtl8712 driver or carrying older kernels.

Technical view

The resolved kernel issue is a use-after-free in staging/rtl8712. The _Read_MACREG and _Write_MACREG callbacks were NULL, so read_macreg_hdl() and write_macreg_hdl() only freed pcmd, causing later use-after-free behavior. Stable kernel commits delete these handlers.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or commits with the rtl8712 staging driver built or available. The bundle lists affected Linux versions from 2.6.37 through 6.0 and several stable branch fix commits, but it does not identify distributions, configurations, or reachable attack paths.

Exploitation context

No source in the bundle reports active exploitation, and KEV is false. The provided data does not specify whether exploitation is local, remote, requires hardware presence, or requires privileges. Treat exploitability as unproven from these sources.

Researcher notes

The key evidence is the kernel commit description: NULL callbacks made the handlers effectively free pcmd, resulting in use-after-free. Missing evidence includes CVSS, CWE, attack vector, privileges, exploit maturity, and distribution-specific fix status.

Mitigation direction

  • Check Linux vendor guidance for fixed kernel packages covering CVE-2022-49956.
  • Update affected systems to kernels containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize assets where rtl8712 is built, loaded, or required.
  • Track distribution advisories before assuming source-level commits equal packaged remediation.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across affected server, endpoint, and embedded fleets.
  • Check whether rtl8712 is present, built, or loaded on those systems.
  • Compare running kernel packages against vendor CVE status and stable fix commits.
  • Document exceptions where vendor fixes are unavailable or unsupported.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

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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CVE-2022-49956 mapping review

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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
0ADP providers
9Source links

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.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4ef, 2865d42c78a9121caad52cb02d1fbb7f5cdbc4efunaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.37, 0, 4.9.328, 4.14.293, 4.19.258, 5.4.213, 5.10.142, 5.15.66, 5.19.8, 6.0affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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