capabilities: fix potential memleak on error path from vfs_getxattr_alloc()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-401.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: capabilities: fix potential memleak on error path from vfs_getxattr_alloc() In cap_inode_getsecurity(), we will use vfs_getxattr_alloc() to complete the memory allocation of tmpbuf, if we have completed the memory allocation of tmpbuf, but failed to call handler->get(...), there will be a memleak in below logic: |-- ret = (int)vfs_getxattr_alloc(mnt_userns, ...) | /* ^^^ alloc for tmpbuf */ |-- value = krealloc(*xattr_value, error + 1, flags) | /* ^^^ alloc memory */ |-- error = handler->get(handler, ...) | /* error! */ |-- *xattr_value = value | /* xattr_value is &tmpbuf (memory leak!) */ So we will try to free(tmpbuf) after vfs_getxattr_alloc() fails to fix it. [PM: subject line and backtrace tweaks]
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 | 4.14 and later | 4.14.299, 4.19.265, 5.4.224, 5.10.154, 5.15.78, 6.0.8, 6.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.14 and later Fixed in 4.14.299, 4.19.265, 5.4.224, 5.10.154, 5.15.78, 6.0.8, 6.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.14 to before 4.14.299; 4.15 to before 4.19.265; 4.20 to before 5.4.224; 5.5 to before 5.10.154; 5.11 to before 5.15.78; 5.16 to before 6.0.8 | 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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.14 to before 4.14.299; 4.15 to before 4.19.265; 4.20 to before 5.4.224; 5.5 to before 5.10.154; 5.11 to before 5.15.78; 5.16 to before 6.0.8 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
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.14.299, 4.19.265, 5.4.224, 5.10.154, 5.15.78, 6.0.8, 6.1
Red Hat 1 advisory
- 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
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 planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7077 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2023:7077 |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-49890
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wxgf-7f8j-hr6j
References
Patch 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bb00eb21c0fbf18e5d3538c9ff0cf63fd0ace85
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90577bcc01c4188416a47269f8433f70502abe98
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c3e6288da650d1ec911a259c77bc2d88e498603
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdf01c807e974048c43c7fd3ca574f6086a57906
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2de8eec8afb75792440b8900a01d52b8f6742fd1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7480aeff0093d8c54377553ec6b31110bea37b4d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cf0a1bc12870d148ae830a4ba88cfdf0e879cee
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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-2022-49890 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-49890 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wxgf-7f8j-hr6j · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-49890 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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