Linux: Double Free
CVE-2022-48649 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions c673c6ceac53fb2e631c9fbbd79957099a08927f, d71608a877362becdc94191f190902fac1e64d35, 5.19.12 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.22% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to c673c6ceac53fb2e631c9fbbd79957099a08927f or d71608a877362becdc94191f190902fac1e64d35 or 5.19.12, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.19.12 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 357321557920c805de2b14832002465c320eea4f up to, but not including, c673c6ceac53fb2e631c9fbbd79957099a08927f; 0495e337b7039191dfce6e03f5f830454b1fae6b up to, but not including, d71608a877362becdc94191f190902fac1e64d35; 5.19.8 up to, but not including, 5.19.12 | c673c6ceac53fb2e631c9fbbd79957099a08927f, d71608a877362becdc94191f190902fac1e64d35, 5.19.12 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.19.8 up to, but not including, 5.19.12 | 5.19.12 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/slab_common: fix possible double free of kmem_cache When doing slub_debug test, kfence's 'test_memcache_typesafe_by_rcu' kunit test case cause a use-after-free error: BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kobject_del+0x14/0x30 Read of size 8 at addr ffff888007679090 by task kunit_try_catch/261 CPU: 1 PID: 261 Comm: kunit_try_catch Tainted: G B N 6.0.0-rc5-next-20220916 #17 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.15.0-1 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x34/0x48 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x87/0x2a5 print_report+0x103/0x1ed kasan_report+0xb7/0x140 kobject_del+0x14/0x30 kmem_cache_destroy+0x130/0x170 test_exit+0x1a/0x30 kunit_try_run_case+0xad/0xc0 kunit_generic_run_threadfn_adapter+0x26/0x50 kthread+0x17b/0x1b0 </TASK> The cause is inside kmem_cache_destroy(): kmem_cache_destroy acquire lock/mutex shutdown_cache schedule_work(kmem_cache_release) (if RCU flag set) release lock/mutex kmem_cache_release (if RCU flag not set) In some certain timing, the scheduled work could be run before the next RCU flag checking, which can then get a wrong value and lead to double kmem_cache_release(). Fix it by caching the RCU flag inside protected area, just like 'refcnt'
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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