Skip to main content

Boteraser | Website and Server Security Solutions

🛡️ CVE-2022-50880 — kernel

🟠 CVSS 8.8 — High ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
8.8
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

wifi: ath10k: add peer map clean up for peer delete in ath10k_sta_state()

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

wifi: ath10k: add peer map clean up for peer delete in ath10k_sta_state()

When peer delete failed in a disconnect operation, use-after-free

detected by KFENCE in below log. It is because for each vdev_id and

address, it has only one struct ath10k_peer, it is allocated in

ath10k_peer_map_event(). When connected to an AP, it has more than

one HTT_T2H_MSG_TYPE_PEER_MAP reported from firmware, then the

array peer_map of struct ath10k will be set muti-elements to the

same ath10k_peer in ath10k_peer_map_event(). When peer delete failed

in ath10k_sta_state(), the ath10k_peer will be free for the 1st peer

id in array peer_map of struct ath10k, and then use-after-free happened

for the 2nd peer id because they map to the same ath10k_peer.

And clean up all peers in array peer_map for the ath10k_peer, then

user-after-free disappeared

peer map event log:

[ 306.911021] wlan0: authenticate with b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e

[ 306.957187] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: mac vdev 0 peer create b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e (new sta) sta 1 / 32 peer 1 / 33

[ 306.957395] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer map vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 246

[ 306.957404] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer map vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 198

[ 306.986924] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer map vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 166

peer unmap event log:

[ 435.715691] wlan0: deauthenticating from b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[ 435.716802] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: mac vdev 0 peer delete b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e sta ffff990e0e9c2b50 (sta gone)

[ 435.717177] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer unmap vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 246

[ 435.717186] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer unmap vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 198

[ 435.717193] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: htt peer unmap vdev 0 peer b0:2a:43:e6:75:0e id 166

use-after-free log:

[21705.888627] wlan0: deauthenticating from d0:76:8f:82:be:75 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)

[21713.799910] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: failed to delete peer d0:76:8f:82:be:75 for vdev 0: -110

[21713.799925] ath10k_pci 0000:01:00.0: found sta peer d0:76:8f:82:be:75 (ptr 0000000000000000 id 102) entry on vdev 0 after it was supposedly removed

[21713.799968] ==================================================================

[21713.799991] BUG: KFENCE: use-after-free read in ath10k_sta_state+0x265/0xb8a [ath10k_core]

[21713.799991]

[21713.799997] Use-after-free read at 0x00000000abe1c75e (in kfence-#69):

[21713.800010] ath10k_sta_state+0x265/0xb8a [ath10k_core]

[21713.800041] drv_sta_state+0x115/0x677 [mac80211]

[21713.800059] __sta_info_destroy_part2+0xb1/0x133 [mac80211]

[21713.800076] __sta_info_flush+0x11d/0x162 [mac80211]

[21713.800093] ieee80211_set_disassoc+0x12d/0x2f4 [mac80211]

[21713.800110] ieee80211_mgd_deauth+0x26c/0x29b [mac80211]

[21713.800137] cfg80211_mlme_deauth+0x13f/0x1bb [cfg80211]

[21713.800153] nl80211_deauthenticate+0xf8/0x121 [cfg80211]

[21713.800161] genl_rcv_msg+0x38e/0x3be

[21713.800166] netlink_rcv_skb+0x89/0xf7

[21713.800171] genl_rcv+0x28/0x36

[21713.800176] netlink_unicast+0x179/0x24b

[21713.800181] netlink_sendmsg+0x3a0/0x40e

[21713.800187] sock_sendmsg+0x72/0x76

[21713.800192] ____sys_sendmsg+0x16d/0x1e3

[21713.800196] ___sys_sendmsg+0x95/0xd1

[21713.800200] __sys_sendmsg+0x85/0xbf

[21713.800205] do_syscall_64+0x43/0x55

[21713.800210] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9

[21713.800213]

[21713.800219] kfence-#69: 0x000000009149b0d5-0x000000004c0697fb, size=1064, cache=kmalloc-2k

[21713.800219]

[21713.800224] allocated by task 13 on cpu 0 at 21705.501373s:

[21713.800241] ath10k_peer_map_event+0x7e/0x154 [ath10k_core]

[21713.800254] ath10k_htt_t2h_msg_handler+0x586/0x1039 [ath10k_core]

[21713.800265] ath10k_htt_htc_t2h_msg_handler+0x12/0x28 [ath10k_core]

[21713.800277] ath10k_htc_rx_completion_handler+0x14c/0x1b5 [ath10k_core]

[21713.800283] ath10k_pci_process_rx_cb+0x195/0x1d

---truncated---

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached from an adjacent network, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs no privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Adjacent network — the attacker has to sit on the same local or logical network.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: None — an unauthenticated stranger can try it.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Integrity impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.
  • Availability impact: High — total loss, or loss the attacker controls.

Affected software

CVE-2022-50880 is recorded against 2 packages.

  • kernel (from 5.20.0 up to 6.0.3)
  • unknown

Timeline and source

Published on 30 December 2025 and last revised on 12 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
git.kernel.org (Web)
github.com (Advisory)
nvd.nist.gov (Advisory)
git.kernel.org (Package)

Other advisories for this package

kernel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

CVE-2022-50880 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity High
CVSS Score 8.8
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2025-12-30
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-08-12
Fix URL N/A

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
kernel 5.20.0 6.0.3
unknown

References

Similar Threats

Site Security Check

Is kernel part of your stack?

CVE-2022-50880 is rated CVSS 8.8 High. BotEraser scans your installation against known CVE records and tells you whether this vulnerability applies to the versions you actually run.

Scan My Site Free →

No credit card required  ·  Results in minutes

ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

Browse related advisories

All advisoriesCVECVE 2022