CVE-2022-49446

nvdimm: Fix firmware activation deadlock scenarios

Published Feb 26, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nvdimm: Fix firmware activation deadlock scenarios

Lockdep reports the following deadlock scenarios for CXL root device
power-management, device_prepare(), operations, and device_shutdown()
operations for 'nd_region' devices:

Chain exists of:
&nvdimm_region_key --> &nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex --> system_transition_mutex

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
lock(system_transition_mutex);
lock(&nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex);
lock(system_transition_mutex);
lock(&nvdimm_region_key);

Chain exists of:
&cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key --> acpi_scan_lock --> &cxl_root_key

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
lock(&cxl_root_key);
lock(acpi_scan_lock);
lock(&cxl_root_key);
lock(&cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key);

These stem from holding nvdimm_bus_lock() over hibernate_quiet_exec()
which walks the entire system device topology taking device_lock() along
the way. The nvdimm_bus_lock() is protecting against unregistration,
multiple simultaneous ops callers, and preventing activate_show() from
racing activate_store(). For the first 2, the lock is redundant.
Unregistration already flushes all ops users, and sysfs already prevents
multiple threads to be active in an ops handler at the same time. For
the last userspace should already be waiting for its last
activate_store() to complete, and does not need activate_show() to flush
the write side, so this lock usage can be deleted in these attributes.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2022-54783 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvdimm: Fix firmware activation deadlock scenarios Lockdep reports the following deadlock scenarios for CXL root device power-management, device_prepare(), operations, and device_shutdown() operations for 'nd_region' devices: Chain exists of: &nvdimm_region_key --> &nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex --> system_transition_mutex Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 CPU1 ---- ---- lock(system_transition_mutex); lock(&nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex); lock(system_transition_mutex); lock(&nvdimm_region_key); Chain exists of: &cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key --> acpi_scan_lock --> &cxl_root_key Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 CPU1 ---- ---- lock(&cxl_root_key); lock(acpi_scan_lock); lock(&cxl_root_key); lock(&cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key); These stem from holding nvdimm_bus_lock() over hibernate_quiet_exec() which walks the entire system device topology taking device_lock() along the way. The nvdimm_bus_lock() is protecting against unregistration, multiple simultaneous ops callers, and preventing activate_show() from racing activate_store(). For the first 2, the lock is redundant. Unregistration already flushes all ops users, and sysfs already prevents multiple threads to be active in an ops handler at the same time. For the last userspace should already be waiting for its last activate_store() to complete, and does not need activate_show() to flush the write side, so this lock usage can be deleted in these attributes.
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses CWE-667
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvdimm: Fix firmware activation deadlock scenarios Lockdep reports the following deadlock scenarios for CXL root device power-management, device_prepare(), operations, and device_shutdown() operations for 'nd_region' devices: Chain exists of: &nvdimm_region_key --> &nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex --> system_transition_mutex Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 CPU1 ---- ---- lock(system_transition_mutex); lock(&nvdimm_bus->reconfig_mutex); lock(system_transition_mutex); lock(&nvdimm_region_key); Chain exists of: &cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key --> acpi_scan_lock --> &cxl_root_key Possible unsafe locking scenario: CPU0 CPU1 ---- ---- lock(&cxl_root_key); lock(acpi_scan_lock); lock(&cxl_root_key); lock(&cxl_nvdimm_bridge_key); These stem from holding nvdimm_bus_lock() over hibernate_quiet_exec() which walks the entire system device topology taking device_lock() along the way. The nvdimm_bus_lock() is protecting against unregistration, multiple simultaneous ops callers, and preventing activate_show() from racing activate_store(). For the first 2, the lock is redundant. Unregistration already flushes all ops users, and sysfs already prevents multiple threads to be active in an ops handler at the same time. For the last userspace should already be waiting for its last activate_store() to complete, and does not need activate_show() to flush the write side, so this lock usage can be deleted in these attributes.
Title nvdimm: Fix firmware activation deadlock scenarios
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 6:59 PM
Reserved
Feb 26, 2025, 2:08 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Feb 26, 2025, 7:01 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 5:18 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Feb 26, 2025, 12:00 AM