Double Free in Linux

CVE-2022-49900

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i2c: piix4: Fix adapter not be removed in piix4_remove() In piix4_probe(), the piix4 adapter will be registered in: piix4_probe() piix4_add_adapters_sb800() / piix4_add_adapter() i2c_add_adapter() Based on the probed device type, piix4_add_adapters_sb800() or single piix4_add_adapter() will be called. For the former case, piix4_adapter_count is set as the number of adapters, while for antoher case it is not set and kept default *zero*. When piix4 is removed, piix4_remove() removes the adapters added in piix4_probe(), basing on the piix4_adapter_count value. Because the count is zero for the single adapter case, the adapter won't be removed and makes the sources allocated for adapter leaked, such as the i2c client and device. These sources can still be accessed by i2c or bus and cause problems. An easily reproduced case is that if a new adapter is registered, i2c will get the leaked adapter and try to call smbus_algorithm, which was already freed: Triggered by: rmmod i2c_piix4 && modprobe max31730 BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffffffc053d860 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN CPU: 0 PID: 3752 Comm: modprobe Tainted: G Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996) RIP: 0010:i2c_default_probe (drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c:2259) i2c_core RSP: 0018:ffff888107477710 EFLAGS: 00000246 ... <TASK> i2c_detect (drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c:2302) i2c_core __process_new_driver (drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c:1336) i2c_core bus_for_each_dev (drivers/base/bus.c:301) i2c_for_each_dev (drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c:1823) i2c_core i2c_register_driver (drivers/i2c/i2c-core-base.c:1861) i2c_core do_one_initcall (init/main.c:1296) do_init_module (kernel/module/main.c:2455) ... </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Fix this problem by correctly set piix4_adapter_count as 1 for the single adapter so it can be normally removed.

Vulnerability class: Double Free

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.002 (10.4th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 10th percentile — 10.4% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2022-49900: held from 0.002 to 0.002.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.002 · newest: 0.002 · change: +0.000

Affected products

  • Linux — versions 528d53a1592b0e27c423f7cafc1df85f77fc1163, 5.4, 0
  • Linux Kernel — versions 6.1

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-49900?
CVE-2022-49900 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, classified under Double Free. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2025-05-01.
How severe is CVE-2022-49900?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.