CVE-2022-49258 – A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux ker... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2022-49258?

CVE-2022-49258 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ccree cryptographic driver allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes. This affects systems using the ccree driver for cryptographic operations. The vulnerability occurs when freeing memory that's still being referenced in debug logging.

📋 TL;DR

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ccree cryptographic driver allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes. This affects systems using the ccree driver for cryptographic operations. The vulnerability occurs when freeing memory that's still being referenced in debug logging.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel with ccree cryptographic driver

Versions: Linux kernel versions before the fix commits (specific versions vary by distribution)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Only vulnerable if ccree driver is loaded and used for cryptographic operations. Common on systems with cryptographic hardware acceleration.

📦 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 →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges, system crashes, or data leakage.

🟠

Likely Case

System instability, kernel panics, or denial of service when cryptographic operations are performed.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact if systems don't use ccree driver or have proper memory protection mechanisms.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or ability to trigger specific cryptographic operations.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Local attackers or malicious users could potentially exploit this to escalate privileges.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Requires local access and ability to trigger cc_cipher_exit() function. No known public exploits.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits: 25c358efee5153dfd240d4e0d3169d5bebe9cacd, 335bf1fc74f775a8255257aa3e33763f2257b676, 3d950c34074ed74d2713c3856ba01264523289e6, c93017c8d5ebf55a4e453ac7c84cc84cf92ab570, cffb5382bd8d3cf21b874ab5b84bf7618932286b

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/25c358efee5153dfd240d4e0d3169d5bebe9cacd

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify ccree driver is updated.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable ccree driver

Linux

Prevent loading of vulnerable ccree cryptographic driver

echo 'blacklist ccree' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ccree.conf
rmmod ccree

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Disable ccree driver if not required for system functionality
Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if ccree module is loaded: 'lsmod | grep ccree' and 'uname -r'

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated and check git commit history includes fix commits

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages
Oops messages related to ccree driver
Cryptographic operation failures

Network Indicators:

None - local vulnerability only

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("ccree" OR "crypto" OR "panic" OR "Oops")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2022-49258

CVSS v3 Score: 7.8 (HIGH)

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

CWE: CWE-416

EPSS Score: 0.04% exploit probability (10.3th percentile)

Published: February 26, 2025

Last Updated: March 25, 2025

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

📄 Export Markdown 📋 Export JSON

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

If you're affected by CVE-2022-49258, you might also want to check these: