memcg: fix possible use-after-free in memcg_write_event_control()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: memcg: fix possible use-after-free in memcg_write_event_control() memcg_write_event_control() accesses the dentry->d_name of the specified control fd to route the write call. As a cgroup interface file can't be renamed, it's safe to access d_name as long as the specified file is a regular cgroup file. Also, as these cgroup interface files can't be removed before the directory, it's safe to access the parent too. Prior to 347c4a874710 ("memcg: remove cgroup_event->cft"), there was a call to __file_cft() which verified that the specified file is a regular cgroupfs file before further accesses. The cftype pointer returned from __file_cft() was no longer necessary and the commit inadvertently dropped the file type check with it allowing any file to slip through. With the invarients broken, the d_name and parent accesses can now race against renames and removals of arbitrary files and cause use-after-free's. Fix the bug by resurrecting the file type check in __file_cft(). Now that cgroupfs is implemented through kernfs, checking the file operations needs to go through a layer of indirection. Instead, let's check the superblock and dentry type.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 3.14 and later | 4.14.302, 4.19.269, 5.4.227, 5.10.159, 5.15.83, 6.0.13, 6.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 3.14 and later Fixed in 4.14.302, 4.19.269, 5.4.227, 5.10.159, 5.15.83, 6.0.13, 6.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 9
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.14 to before 4.14.302; 4.15 to before 4.19.269; 4.20 to before 5.4.227; 5.5 to before 5.10.159; 5.11 to before 5.15.83; 5.16 to before 6.0.13 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.14 to before 4.14.302; 4.15 to before 4.19.269; 4.20 to before 5.4.227; 5.5 to before 5.10.159; 5.11 to before 5.15.83; 5.16 to before 6.0.13 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc8 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.14.302, 4.19.269, 5.4.227, 5.10.159, 5.15.83, 6.0.13, 6.1
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2023:7077 Released 2023-11-14 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-513.5.1.el8_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-513.5.1.el8_9, kernel-4.18.0-513.5.1.el8_9, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-513.5.1.el8_9 +19
- RHSA-2023:6583 Released 2023-11-07 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, libperf-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.2.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-64k-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +29
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-362.8.1.el9_3 +11
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7077 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7077 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-48988
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-9593-f5wq-r2vm
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b77600e26fd48727a95ffd50ba1e937efb548125
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1ae97624ecf400ea56c238bff23e5cd139df0b8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35963b31821920908e397146502066f6b032c917
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1f7f36cf682fa59db15e2089039a2eeb58ff2ad
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aad8bbd17a1d586005feb9226c2e9cfce1432e13
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ed074317b835caa6c03bcfa8f133365324673dc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a7ba45b1a435e7097ca0f79a847d0949d0eb088
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2022-48988 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-48988 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-9593-f5wq-r2vm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-48988 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences