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CVE Record

CVE-2022-50626: media: dvb-usb: fix memory leak in dvb_usb_adapter_init()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: dvb-usb: fix memory leak in dvb_usb_adapter_init() Syzbot reports a memory leak in "dvb_usb_adapter_init()". The leak is due to not accounting for and freeing current iteration's adapter->priv in case of an error. Currently if an error occurs, it will exit before incrementing "num_adapters_initalized", which is used as a reference counter to free all adap->priv in "dvb_usb_adapter_exit()". There are multiple error paths that can exit from before incrementing the counter. Including the error handling paths for "dvb_usb_adapter_stream_init()", "dvb_usb_adapter_dvb_init()" and "dvb_usb_adapter_frontend_init()" within "dvb_usb_adapter_init()". This means that in case of an error in any of these functions the current iteration is not accounted for and the current iteration's adap->priv is not freed. Fix this by freeing the current iteration's adap->priv in the "stream_init_err:" label in the error path. The rest of the (accounted for) adap->priv objects are freed in dvb_usb_adapter_exit() as expected using the num_adapters_initalized variable. Syzbot report: BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8881172f1a00 (size 512): comm "kworker/0:2", pid 139, jiffies 4294994873 (age 10.960s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff844af012>] dvb_usb_adapter_init drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb/dvb-usb-init.c:75 [inline] [<ffffffff844af012>] dvb_usb_init drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb/dvb-usb-init.c:184 [inline] [<ffffffff844af012>] dvb_usb_device_init.cold+0x4e5/0x79e drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb/dvb-usb-init.c:308 [<ffffffff830db21d>] dib0700_probe+0x8d/0x1b0 drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb/dib0700_core.c:883 [<ffffffff82d3fdc7>] usb_probe_interface+0x177/0x370 drivers/usb/core/driver.c:396 [<ffffffff8274ab37>] call_driver_probe drivers/base/dd.c:542 [inline] [<ffffffff8274ab37>] really_probe.part.0+0xe7/0x310 drivers/base/dd.c:621 [<ffffffff8274ae6c>] really_probe drivers/base/dd.c:583 [inline] [<ffffffff8274ae6c>] __driver_probe_device+0x10c/0x1e0 drivers/base/dd.c:752 [<ffffffff8274af6a>] driver_probe_device+0x2a/0x120 drivers/base/dd.c:782 [<ffffffff8274b786>] __device_attach_driver+0xf6/0x140 drivers/base/dd.c:899 [<ffffffff82747c87>] bus_for_each_drv+0xb7/0x100 drivers/base/bus.c:427 [<ffffffff8274b352>] __device_attach+0x122/0x260 drivers/base/dd.c:970 [<ffffffff827498f6>] bus_probe_device+0xc6/0xe0 drivers/base/bus.c:487 [<ffffffff82745cdb>] device_add+0x5fb/0xdf0 drivers/base/core.c:3405 [<ffffffff82d3d202>] usb_set_configuration+0x8f2/0xb80 drivers/usb/core/message.c:2170 [<ffffffff82d4dbfc>] usb_generic_driver_probe+0x8c/0xc0 drivers/usb/core/generic.c:238 [<ffffffff82d3f49c>] usb_probe_device+0x5c/0x140 drivers/usb/core/driver.c:293 [<ffffffff8274ab37>] call_driver_probe drivers/base/dd.c:542 [inline] [<ffffffff8274ab37>] really_probe.part.0+0xe7/0x310 drivers/base/dd.c:621 [<ffffffff8274ae6c>] really_probe drivers/base/dd.c:583 [inline] [<ffffffff8274ae6c>] __driver_probe_device+0x10c/0x1e0 drivers/base/dd.c:752

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-50626 is a Linux kernel memory leak in the DVB USB media driver initialization path. If adapter initialization fails, some allocated memory is not freed. The likely business impact is stability degradation or denial of service on affected systems, not data theft. No public source provided indicates active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a routine kernel stability fix unless your environment allows untrusted USB hardware or depends on DVB USB devices. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with higher priority for shared workstations, labs, kiosks, or systems exposed to removable devices.

Technical view

The flaw is in dvb_usb_adapter_init() under drivers/media/usb/dvb-usb. Several error paths before num_adapters_initalized is incremented can leave the current adapter->priv allocation unfreed. The upstream fix frees the current iteration’s adap->priv in the stream_init_err error path, while existing exit handling frees accounted adapters.

Likely exposure

Exposure is mainly Linux systems running affected kernel versions with DVB USB media support and relevant device probing paths. Risk is higher where users or devices can trigger USB DVB adapter initialization errors. Systems without these drivers enabled or without USB device exposure are less likely to be practically exposed.

Exploitation context

The source bundle cites a syzbot memory-leak report during USB DVB device probing. It does not provide a CVSS score, CWE, proof of active exploitation, or KEV listing. Practical exploitation would likely require local or physical-style device interaction rather than network reachability.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports a kernel memory leak, not code execution. Affected-version metadata is limited and includes stable branch references plus multiple upstream commit URLs. Validate exposure against actual kernel source or vendor backports, because distribution kernels may carry fixes without changing the upstream version number.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Linux stable or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced fix commits.
  • Check your Linux vendor advisory for exact affected package versions and backports.
  • Prioritize systems where untrusted USB devices can be connected.
  • If DVB USB support is unnecessary, review vendor-supported ways to reduce that exposure.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm the running kernel package includes the relevant stable fix or vendor backport.
  • Inventory systems with DVB USB media drivers enabled or loadable.
  • Use distribution vulnerability tooling to check CVE-2022-50626 status.
  • Review kernel update notes for the referenced dvb-usb memory leak fix.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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.

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CVE-2022-50626 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
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
10Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605, 4d43e13f723e12734257277cc38497fab1efc605unaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.19, 0, 4.9.337, 4.14.303, 4.19.270, 5.4.229, 5.10.163, 5.15.86, 6.0.16, 6.1.2, 6.2affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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