Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2022-48779 is a high-severity use after 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 c98bed60cdd7f22237ae256cc9c1c3087206b8a2, ef57640575406f57f5b3393cf57f457b0ace837e 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 c98bed60cdd7f22237ae256cc9c1c3087206b8a2 or ef57640575406f57f5b3393cf57f457b0ace837e, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.16.11 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | d4004422f6f9fa8e55c04482008c1c9f9edd2d19 up to, but not including, c98bed60cdd7f22237ae256cc9c1c3087206b8a2; d4004422f6f9fa8e55c04482008c1c9f9edd2d19 up to, but not including, ef57640575406f57f5b3393cf57f457b0ace837e; 5.16 | c98bed60cdd7f22237ae256cc9c1c3087206b8a2, ef57640575406f57f5b3393cf57f457b0ace837e |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.16 up to, but not including, 5.16.11 | 5.16.11 |
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.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mscc: ocelot: fix use-after-free in ocelot_vlan_del() ocelot_vlan_member_del() will free the struct ocelot_bridge_vlan, so if this is the same as the port's pvid_vlan which we access afterwards, what we're accessing is freed memory. Fix the bug by determining whether to clear ocelot_port->pvid_vlan prior to calling ocelot_vlan_member_del().
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
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 Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.