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Fencer Vulns
high 7.8

CVE-2022-49290 json

mac80211: fix potential double free on mesh join

published 2025-02-26 20 mo ago modified 2026-08-05 3 mo ago also EUVD-2022-54936

cvss
7.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.3%
EPSS 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 17%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

mac80211: fix potential double free on mesh join

While commit 6a01afcf8468 ("mac80211: mesh: Free ie data when leaving mesh") fixed a memory leak on mesh leave / teardown it introduced a potential memory corruption caused by a double free when rejoining the mesh:

ieee80211_leave_mesh() -> kfree(sdata->u.mesh.ie); ... ieee80211_join_mesh() -> copy_mesh_setup() -> old_ie = ifmsh->ie; -> kfree(old_ie);

This double free / kernel panics can be reproduced by using wpa_supplicant with an encrypted mesh (if set up without encryption via "iw" then ifmsh->ie is always NULL, which avoids this issue). And then calling:

$ iw dev mesh0 mesh leave $ iw dev mesh0 mesh join my-mesh

Note that typically these commands are not used / working when using wpa_supplicant. And it seems that wpa_supplicant or wpa_cli are going through a NETDEV_DOWN/NETDEV_UP cycle between a mesh leave and mesh join where the NETDEV_UP resets the mesh.ie to NULL via a memcpy of default_mesh_setup in cfg80211_netdev_notifier_call, which then avoids the memory corruption, too.

The issue was first observed in an application which was not using wpa_supplicant but "Senf" instead, which implements its own calls to nl80211.

Fixing the issue by removing the kfree()'ing of the mesh IE in the mesh join function and leaving it solely up to the mesh leave to free the mesh IE.

Patch / fix

  • Linux Linux 4.5, 4.9.309, 4.14.274, 4.19.237, 5.4.188, 5.8, 5.10.109, 5.15.32, 5.16.18, 5.17.1, 5.18
  • linux Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 5.17.3-1

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49290

  • linux Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 4.15.0-184.194
  • linux Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 5.4.0-117.132
  • linux Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-37.39
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 4.15.0-1133.143
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 5.4.0-1078.84
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-1011.14
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 5.4.0-1078.84
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-1008.12

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49290

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • kernel RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • perf RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • bpftool RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • kernel-core RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • kernel-tools RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • python3-perf RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • kernel-modules RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1
  • kernel-zfcpdump RHEL 9 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1

red hat advisories RHSA-2026:1886RHSA-2026:1495RHSA-2026:1494RHSA-2026:1442RHSA-2022:8267RHSA-2022:7683

  • kernel-64kb SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS, Enterprise Storage 7.1 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-syms SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS +1 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-source SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS +1 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-default SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE Micro 5.2 +5 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-preempt SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS +1 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-obs-build SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS +1 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1
  • kernel-default-base SLES for SAP 15 SP3, SLES 15 SP3-LTSS, SLE Micro 5.2 +3 more 5.3.18-150300.59.201.1.150300.18.120.1
  • kernel-64kb SLES 15 SP5-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS 5.14.21-150500.55.100.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2025:01600-1SUSE-SU-2025:1263-1SUSE-SU-2025:1241-1SUSE-SU-2025:1194-1SUSE-SU-2025:1183-1SUSE-SU-2025:1176-1

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2022-49290 updated cvss 7.1

kernel: mac80211: fix potential double free on mesh join

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 perf, kernel, python-perf, kernel-kdump, kernel-firmware, kernel-bootwrapper, +1 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 perf, kernel, bpftool, kernel-rt, python-perf, kernel-kdump, +8 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 kernel-rt, kernel-rt-kvm, kernel-rt-core, kernel-rt-modules, kernel-rt-debug-kvm, kernel-rt-debug-core, +6 more
    affected: no fix planned “Out of support scope”
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2022:7683
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-debuginfo-common-s390x 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1 Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) perf 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-devel-matched 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debug-devel-matched 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-s390x 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-zfcpdump-devel-matched 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2022:8267
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.0) perf 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-devel-matched 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-debug-devel-matched 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-debuginfo-common-s390x 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-zfcpdump-devel-matched 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1494
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) perf 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, bpftool 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-core 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, kernel-tools 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, python3-perf 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8, +15 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2022:7683
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, bpftool 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-core 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-tools 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, python3-perf 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, kernel-modules 5.14.0-162.6.1.el9_1, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2022:8267
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4) perf 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, bpftool 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel-core 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel-tools 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, python3-perf 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, +8 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1886
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.6) perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, bpftool 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-core 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-tools 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, python3-perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, +8 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.8.6) perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, bpftool 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-core 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-tools 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, python3-perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, +15 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1442
show 5 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.0) kernel 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, bpftool 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-core 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-tools 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, python3-perf 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, kernel-modules 5.14.0-70.163.1.el9_0, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1494
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4) perf 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, bpftool 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel-core 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, kernel-tools 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, python3-perf 4.18.0-305.184.1.el8_4, +8 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1886
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS TUS (v.8.6) perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, bpftool 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-core 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, kernel-tools 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, python3-perf 4.18.0-372.177.1.el8_6, +8 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1442
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV E4S (v.9.0) kernel-rt 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-kvm 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-core 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-modules 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-debug-kvm 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-debug-core 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, +4 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time E4S (v.9.0) kernel-rt 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-core 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-modules 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-debug-core 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-debug-modules 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, kernel-rt-modules-extra 5.14.0-70.163.1.rt21.235.el9_0, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2026:1495
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 kernel-rt, kernel-rt-kvm, kernel-rt-core, kernel-rt-modules, kernel-rt-debug-kvm, kernel-rt-debug-core, +12 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 kernel
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total
Assessed
13 mo ago

Exploit prediction

0.26% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 17% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA ADP 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

  • Linux Linux

Classification

Weakness
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.