CVE-2022-50716: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2022-50716 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's wifi: ar5523 driver, specifically in the ar5523_cmd() function when a command times out. The flaw was reported via syzkaller fuzzing and disclosed on December 24, 2025. It affects the Linux kernel across multiple stable branches. The CVSS score and severity rating have not been publicly assigned at this time (CVE Record, Feedly).

The vulnerability is classified as a use-after-free (CWE-416) in the ar5523_cmd_tx_cb callback function of the ar5523 USB Wi-Fi driver. When a command sent via ar5523_cmd() times out, the associated memory (specifically the ar5523_cmd structure at the stack address) can be freed while the USB callback ar5523_cmd_tx_cb still holds a reference to it. The callback subsequently reads from the freed memory region, triggering a KASAN-detected use-after-free at offset ffff888048e03450. The bug was originally identified by syzkaller on kernel version 6.0.0 and is triggered through the USB subsystem's URB giveback path (__usb_hcd_giveback_urb → ar5523_cmd_tx_cb) (CVE Record, Feedly).

Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a local attacker or a malicious USB device to trigger kernel memory corruption, potentially leading to a system crash (denial of service) or, in more severe scenarios, privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution in kernel context. The impact is primarily on availability (kernel panic/crash) and potentially on integrity and confidentiality if the freed memory is reused with attacker-controlled data. The scope is limited to systems with the ar5523 USB Wi-Fi adapter driver loaded (CVE Record, Feedly).

The Linux kernel maintainers have released patches across multiple stable branches addressing this use-after-free condition. Fixes are available via the upstream kernel stable tree commits (e.g., 3eca9697, 8af52492, 9aef34e1, 601ae893, 6447beef). SUSE has issued kernel security advisories (SUSE-2026:0263-1, SUSE-2026:0317-1, SUSE-2026:0411-1) incorporating the fix. Users should update to a patched kernel version as provided by their Linux distribution. As a workaround, systems that do not use ar5523-based USB Wi-Fi adapters can blacklist the ar5523 kernel module (echo 'blacklist ar5523' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf) to prevent the vulnerable code from loading (Linux Security, Tenable).