Findings

Vulnerability · CVE-2022-50432

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kern…

Published Oct 1, 2025 · corrected/updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux linux kernel · evidence confidence high

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the root node is freed during kernfs_drain(). To prevent this acquire an additional reference for the root of the tree that is removed before calling __kernfs_remove(). Found by syzkaller with the following reproducer (slab_nomerge is required): syz_mount_image$ext4(0x0, &(0x7f0000000100)='./file0\x00', 0x100000, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0) r0 = openat(0xffffffffffffff9c, &(0x7f0000000080)='/proc/self/exe\x00', 0x0, 0x0) close(r0) pipe2(&(0x7f0000000140)={0xffffffffffffffff, 0xffffffffffffffff}, 0x800) mount$9p_fd(0x0, &(0x7f0000000040)='./file0\x00', &(0x7f00000000c0), 0x408, &(0x7f0000000280)={'trans=fd,', {'rfdno', 0x3d, r0}, 0x2c, {'wfdno', 0x3d, r1}, 0x2c, {[{@cache_loose}, {@mmap}, {@loose}, {@loose}, {@mmap}], [{@mask={'mask', 0x3d, '^MAY_EXEC'}}, {@fsmagic={'fsmagic', 0x3d, 0x10001}}, {@dont_hash}]}}) Sample report: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __kernfs_remove.part.0+0x843/0x960 fs/kernfs/dir.c:1369 Read of size 2 at addr ffff8880088807f0 by task syz-executor.2/857 CPU: 0 PID: 857 Comm: syz-executor.2 Not tainted 6.0.0-rc3-00363-g7726d4c3e60b #5 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.15.0-1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x6e/0x91 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:317 [inline] print_report.cold+0x5e/0x5e5 mm/kasan/report.c:433 kasan_report+0xa3/0x130 mm/kasan/report.c:495 kernfs_type include/linux/kernfs.h:335 [inline] kernfs_leftmost_descendant fs/kernfs/dir.c:1261

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2022-50432 is a high public vulnerability record for linux linux kernel. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether linux linux kernel is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: linux/linux kernel. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: CVSS 7.8 (technical impact); EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability). It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Weakness classes: CWE-416. Sources contributing to this record: cve_org, epss, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Not listed as known exploited in CISA KEV. Not in CISA KEV or VulnCheck KEV.

  • Patch and remediation

    A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Oct 1, 2025 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the root node is freed during kernfs_drain(). To prevent this acquire an additional reference for the root of the tree that i

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the root node is freed during kernfs_drain(). To prevent this acquire an additional reference for the root of the tree that i

Affected

Enter an installed version to get a verified affected / not-affected result against the ranges below.

  • cpe linux/linux kernelversion unspecified

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2022-50432

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2022-50432

    30-day exploitation probability 0.2%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2022-50432

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: fix use-after-free in __kernfs_remove Syzkaller managed to trigger concurrent calls to kernfs_remove_by_name_ns() for the same file resulting in a KASAN detected use-after-free. The race occurs when the

    nvd.nist.gov

References