CVE-2022-48997 is a concurrency vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Trusted Platform Module (TPM) subsystem, specifically related to the tpm_pm_suspend() function. The TPM is a hardware component used for secure cryptographic operations and platform integrity measurements. The vulnerability arises because TPM transactions are executed unconditionally during system suspend without proper locking mechanisms, leading to race conditions with other TPM accessors. In particular, the hw_random TPM driver calls tpm_get_random() in a kernel thread loop that is not frozen during system suspend, causing concurrent TPM accesses. This race can result in TPM transaction errors, invalid TPM status codes, and kernel stack dumps, potentially destabilizing the system or causing denial of service. The root cause is the lack of mutex protection around TPM suspend operations, which was fixed by introducing a call to tpm_try_get_ops(), a wrapper around tpm_chip_start() that acquires the appropriate mutex to serialize TPM access during suspend. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions prior to the patch commit identified by the hash e891db1a18bf11e02533ec2386b796cfd8d60666. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. This issue is primarily a kernel-level race condition that can lead to system instability or TPM malfunction during suspend/resume cycles, impacting systems relying on TPM for security functions.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can affect any Linux-based systems utilizing TPM hardware, which is common in enterprise servers, workstations, and embedded devices. The TPM is critical for secure boot, disk encryption, and platform attestation; thus, instability or errors during suspend/resume cycles could lead to system crashes or failures in security-critical operations. This may disrupt business continuity, especially in environments with strict security compliance requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government sectors. Additionally, TPM malfunctions could undermine trust in platform integrity measurements, potentially affecting secure authentication and encryption workflows. Although no active exploits are known, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks to cause denial of service or to interfere with TPM-dependent security mechanisms. Organizations with automated suspend/resume policies or those using TPM-backed random number generation might experience increased risk of system instability or degraded security assurance.

Organizations should promptly apply Linux kernel updates that include the patch for CVE-2022-48997. Specifically, updating to kernel versions containing the commit e891db1a18bf11e02533ec2386b796cfd8d60666 or later will resolve the race condition by ensuring proper mutex locking during TPM suspend operations. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, consider temporarily disabling system suspend or hibernation features to avoid triggering the race condition. Additionally, review and monitor kernel logs for TPM-related errors indicative of this race condition. For critical systems, implement rigorous testing of suspend/resume cycles post-patching to confirm stability. Security teams should also audit TPM usage patterns, especially those involving the hw_random driver, to ensure no unauthorized concurrent TPM accesses occur. Finally, maintain up-to-date inventory of Linux systems with TPM hardware to prioritize patch deployment and risk management.