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CVE-2022-50221NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Read

CVE-2022-50221 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 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 9c49ac792c639dbec0728b513329a32461f72253, ae25885bdf59fde40726863c57fd20e4a0642183 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 0.23% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 9c49ac792c639dbec0728b513329a32461f72253 or ae25885bdf59fde40726863c57fd20e4a0642183, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.19.2 or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux67b723f5b74254d27962b1b59bddfee1584575ff up to, but not including, 9c49ac792c639dbec0728b513329a32461f72253; 67b723f5b74254d27962b1b59bddfee1584575ff up to, but not including, ae25885bdf59fde40726863c57fd20e4a0642183; 5.189c49ac792c639dbec0728b513329a32461f72253, ae25885bdf59fde40726863c57fd20e4a0642183
LinuxLinux Kernel5.18 up to, but not including, 5.19.25.19.2

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
NoneNothing can be modified.
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:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.1HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/fb-helper: Fix out-of-bounds access Clip memory range to screen-buffer size to avoid out-of-bounds access in fbdev deferred I/O's damage handling. Fbdev's deferred I/O can only track pages. From the range of pages, the damage handler computes the clipping rectangle for the display update. If the fbdev screen buffer ends near the beginning of a page, that page could contain more scanlines. The damage handler would then track these non-existing scanlines as dirty and provoke an out-of-bounds access during the screen update. Hence, clip the maximum memory range to the size of the screen buffer. While at it, rename the variables min/max to min_off/max_off in drm_fb_helper_deferred_io(). This avoids confusion with the macros of the same name.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read

The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.

More Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities (CWE-125)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities

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