CVE-2022-47946 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the Linux kernel version 5.10.x prior to 5.10.155. This vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit a use-after-free condition in the io_sqpoll_wait_sq function located in fs/io_uring.c, leading to a crash of the kernel and resulting in a denial of service. The vulnerability can be triggered under specific conditions, such as forking a process and then quickly terminating it.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 5.5, indicating a medium severity level. This score reflects the potential impact of such an exploit, particularly the availability impact, which is rated as high. It is crucial for organizations using affected versions of the Linux kernel to address this vulnerability as part of their immediate security posture.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. The kernel versions 5.15 and later have substantial changes that mitigate this vulnerability, making updates to these versions highly recommended.
Given the potential for denial of service attacks, organizations utilizing impacted systems should assess their exposure and implement necessary security measures to prevent exploitation.
Vulnerability Details
According to the official description, CVE-2022-47946 is characterized as follows: An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel 5.10.x before 5.10.155. A use-after-free in io_sqpoll_wait_sq in fs/io_uring.c allows an attacker to crash the kernel, resulting in denial of service. finish_wait can be skipped. An attack can occur in some situations by forking a process and then quickly terminating it. NOTE: later kernel versions, such as the 5.15 longterm series, substantially changed the implementation of io_sqpoll_wait_sq.
The CVSS score, as noted, is 5.5, categorized under medium severity due to its combination of attack vector, complexity, privileges required, and availability impact.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in a use-after-free condition, which occurs when memory that has been freed is accessed. In this case, the function io_sqpoll_wait_sq fails to properly handle the state of its memory allocation, leading to a crash when the kernel attempts to access this freed memory.
The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have local access to the system to exploit the vulnerability. The complexity of the attack is low, which means that it can be executed with relative ease. The privileges required are also low, indicating that an attacker does not require elevated permissions to exploit this vulnerability.
No user interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability, making it more concerning for organizations. The availability impact is high, meaning that successful exploitation can lead to a complete service outage.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential downtime and service interruptions that could affect business operations. The blast radius from this vulnerability could be significant, particularly for organizations that rely on Linux-based systems for critical infrastructure. The urgency to patch is underscored by the high availability impact associated with this vulnerability.
Given the CVSS score of 5.5 and the absence of known exploits in the wild, organizations should still treat this vulnerability with high priority and ensure that remediation efforts are scheduled promptly. Regular updates and patch management processes should be implemented to protect against similar vulnerabilities.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions of the Linux kernel prior to 5.10.155 are affected. Organizations should ensure that they are running the latest supported version to mitigate this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2022-47946, organizations should apply the latest patch provided by the Linux kernel development team. The latest version that resolves this issue is 5.10.161 or later.
If patching is not immediately feasible, organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring and network controls to detect any unusual behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts.
Regularly reviewing and updating system configurations is recommended to harden the security posture against potential vulnerabilities.
Penetration testing should also be considered as part of a comprehensive security assessment strategy to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor system logs for indicators of exploitation attempts, which may include unusual process behavior or unexpected kernel crashes. Behavioral anomalies associated with rapid process forking and termination can also be indicative of an attempted exploit.
Network signatures related to the exploitation of this vulnerability should be implemented to help identify potential attacks in real-time.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2022-47946 highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities that can affect widely used operating systems like Linux. It represents a pattern where local attacks can lead to significant service disruptions, emphasizing the need for continuous vigilance in security practices.
Security teams should prioritize the identification of similar vulnerabilities within their environments, ensuring that they have an effective vulnerability management program in place. This includes regular updates and security assessments.
A well-structured vulnerability management program can help organizations proactively address risks and streamline their remediation efforts.
Implementing a penetration testing methodology will ensure that security teams can effectively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Cloud penetration testing should also be integrated into security strategies to address vulnerabilities unique to cloud environments.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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