CVE-2022-50095
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-06-18

Last updated on: 2025-11-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: posix-cpu-timers: Cleanup CPU timers before freeing them during exec Commit 55e8c8eb2c7b ("posix-cpu-timers: Store a reference to a pid not a task") started looking up tasks by PID when deleting a CPU timer. When a non-leader thread calls execve, it will switch PIDs with the leader process. Then, as it calls exit_itimers, posix_cpu_timer_del cannot find the task because the timer still points out to the old PID. That means that armed timers won't be disarmed, that is, they won't be removed from the timerqueue_list. exit_itimers will still release their memory, and when that list is later processed, it leads to a use-after-free. Clean up the timers from the de-threaded task before freeing them. This prevents a reported use-after-free.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-06-18
Last Modified
2025-11-18
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-06-18
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2022-50095
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 4 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-416 The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
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AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability occurs in the Linux kernel's posix-cpu-timers subsystem. When a non-leader thread executes execve, it switches PIDs with the leader process, causing the CPU timer to reference an outdated PID. As a result, timers that should be disarmed remain armed and are not removed from the timer queue. When the system later processes this list, it leads to a use-after-free condition, which can cause memory corruption or crashes. The fix involves cleaning up timers from the de-threaded task before freeing them to prevent this use-after-free.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can lead to use-after-free memory errors in the Linux kernel, potentially causing system instability, crashes, or allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This can compromise the security and reliability of affected systems.


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