CVE-2022-49290: mac80211: fix potential double free on mesh join
First published: Wed Feb 26 2025(Updated: )
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.
Credit: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
| Affected Software | Affected Version | How to fix |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Kernel | ||
| Linux Kernel | >=4.4.233<4.5 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=4.9.233<4.9.309 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=4.14.192<4.14.274 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=4.19.137<4.19.237 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=5.4.56<5.4.188 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=5.7.13<5.10.109 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=5.11<5.15.32 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=5.16<5.16.18 | |
| Linux Kernel | >=5.17<5.17.1 |
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Reference Links
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/615716af8644813355e014314a0bc1e961250f5a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c1d9c3628ef0a0ca197595d0f9e01cd3b5dda186
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/273ebddc5fda2967492cb0b6cdd7d81cfb821b76
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3bbd0000d012f92aec423b224784fbf0f7bf40f8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d3ff9542a40ce034416bca03864709540a36016
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/12e407a8ef17623823fd0c066fbd7f103953d28d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/582d8c60c0c053684f7138875e8150d5749ffc17
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/46bb87d40683337757a2f902fcd4244b32bb4e86
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a2d4496e15ea5bb5c8e83b94ca8ca7fb045e7d3
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2022-49290?
CVE-2022-49290 has been classified as a medium severity vulnerability.
How do I fix CVE-2022-49290?
To fix CVE-2022-49290, ensure you upgrade the Linux kernel to a version that includes the patch resolving this vulnerability.
What systems are affected by CVE-2022-49290?
CVE-2022-49290 affects various versions of the Linux kernel, specifically in the range from 4.4.233 to 5.17.1.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2022-49290?
CVE-2022-49290 is a memory corruption vulnerability related to the mac80211 subsystem in the Linux kernel.
Can CVE-2022-49290 be exploited remotely?
CVE-2022-49290 could potentially be exploited by attackers on local networks due to its nature affecting wireless mesh networking.
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