Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2022-49900

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-05-01
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.10.154 / 5.15.78 or later.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click Patch available

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
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.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis
How this class of weakness works · CWE-415

The same block of memory is freed twice, corrupting the allocator's bookkeeping in ways an attacker can shape toward code execution. It usually stems from tangled ownership of a pointer. The fix is clear, single ownership of each allocation and clearing pointers once they are freed.

General guidance for the double free class — the official description and references above are authoritative for this specific CVE. Want a bespoke review and a reviewed fix? Ask our team →

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
Affected:>= 5.4, < 5.10.154>= 5.11, < 5.15.78>= 5.16, < 6.0.8= 6.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.10.154 / 5.15.78 / 6.0.8 or later
Fixed in 5.10.1545.15.786.0.8
Vendor patch git.kernel.org →
Recommended fix High confidence

Linux kernel 5.10.154, 5.15.78, 6.0.8, or 6.1.8 (depending on which branch you are on)

  1. 1. Identify the currently running kernel version using `uname -r`
  2. 2. Determine which branch of the Linux kernel is in use (e.g., 5.10.x, 5.15.x, 5.16.x-6.0.x, or 6.1.x)
  3. 3. Upgrade the kernel to the minimum fixed version for that branch:
  4. - For 5.10 branch: upgrade to >= 5.10.154
  5. - For 5.15 branch: upgrade to >= 5.15.78
  6. - For 5.16-6.0 branch: upgrade to >= 6.0.8
  7. - For 6.1 branch: upgrade to >= 6.1.8
  8. 4. After kernel upgrade, reboot the system
Caveat Kernel upgrades may require matching system utilities and could introduce compatibility changes with third-party kernel modules; ensure all proprietary drivers support the target kernel version

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,950. Get the upgrade done

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-49900 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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