CVE-2022-48714 – This CVE is a memory access vulnerability in th... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2022-48714?

CVE-2022-48714 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This CVE is a memory access vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF ring buffer implementation where incorrect virtual memory flags allow KASAN (Kernel Address SANitizer) to miss out-of-bounds access detection. It affects Linux systems with BPF ring buffers enabled and KASAN configured. Attackers could potentially exploit this to bypass memory safety checks and access kernel memory.

📋 TL;DR

This CVE is a memory access vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF ring buffer implementation where incorrect virtual memory flags allow KASAN (Kernel Address SANitizer) to miss out-of-bounds access detection. It affects Linux systems with BPF ring buffers enabled and KASAN configured. Attackers could potentially exploit this to bypass memory safety checks and access kernel memory.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux Kernel

Versions: Versions containing the vulnerable BPF ring buffer implementation before the fix commits

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Requires CONFIG_BPF_SYSCALL=y and CONFIG_KASAN=y to be vulnerable. Many production systems run without KASAN enabled.

📦 What is this software?

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

Linux Kernel by Linux

The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...

Learn more about Linux Kernel →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory corruption leading to privilege escalation, denial of service, or information disclosure through bypassed KASAN protections.

🟠

Likely Case

Information disclosure through memory access that should have been detected by KASAN, potentially exposing sensitive kernel data.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact if KASAN is not enabled or BPF ring buffers are not in use.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or ability to execute BPF programs, typically not directly internet-accessible.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or compromised users could exploit this to bypass kernel memory protections.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: HIGH

Exploitation requires local access and ability to load BPF programs. The vulnerability bypasses KASAN detection rather than providing direct code execution.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 5e457aeab52a5947619e1f18047f4d2f3212b3eb, 6304a613a97d6dcd49b93fbad31e9f39d1e138d6, b293dcc473d22a62dc6d78de2b15e4f49515db56, d578933f6226d5419af9306746efa1c693cbaf9c

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e457aeab52a5947619e1f18047f4d2f3212b3eb

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version with 'uname -r'.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable KASAN

linux

Disable Kernel Address SANitizer to prevent the detection bypass vulnerability

Rebuild kernel with CONFIG_KASAN=n

Restrict BPF program loading

linux

Limit ability to load BPF programs to prevent exploitation

sysctl -w kernel.unprivileged_bpf_disabled=1

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict access controls to prevent unprivileged users from loading BPF programs
Monitor for suspicious BPF program loading activity and kernel memory access patterns

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if KASAN is enabled: 'uname -r' and check /boot/config-$(uname -r) for CONFIG_KASAN=y

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes fix commits and check /proc/vmallocinfo for 'vmap user' instead of 'vmalloc user' for ringbuf

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

KASAN reports for ring buffer memory regions
Unexpected BPF program loading
Kernel panic or oops messages

Network Indicators:

Not network exploitable - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

Search for: 'bpf' AND 'ringbuf' OR 'KASAN' in kernel logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2022-48714

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

CWE: CWE-125

Published: June 20, 2024

Last Updated: September 17, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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