CVE-2022-49268
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Sound Open Firmware (SOF) subsystem for Intel platforms occurs when memory allocation fails. This causes a kernel panic/denial-of-service when handling audio operations. Systems using affected Intel audio hardware with Linux kernel versions containing the bug are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with SOF Intel drivers
📦 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 panic leading to system crash and denial-of-service, potentially causing data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when audio operations trigger memory allocation failures, requiring reboot.
If Mitigated
No impact if kernel is patched or memory allocation doesn't fail during audio operations.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger audio operations that cause memory allocation failure. Not a privilege escalation vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 01df5f7627f1624d6bb0b8c0870a569b32adfbf8, 09eca322d4118dc26570ca6100fa34e59e5a5143, 0c307349fe060971625b856c92f0361b8ea9a120, 67f7bd9ff9079c1ee2de58e024fb582905c74c16, b6094744e261083d3790c3def770ebf5060d383b
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01df5f7627f1624d6bb0b8c0870a569b32adfbf8
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing fix commits. 2. Check distribution security advisories for backported patches. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable SOF Intel audio driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist snd_sof_intel_hda_common' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
Limit memory pressure
linuxReduce likelihood of memory allocation failures during audio operations
sysctl -w vm.min_free_kbytes=65536
echo 'vm.min_free_kbytes=65536' >> /etc/sysctl.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable kernels
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic/OOPS messages related to audio operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if SOF Intel drivers are loaded: lsmod | grep snd_sof_intel_hda_commonCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version includes fix commits or verify driver version: modinfo snd_sof_intel_hda_common📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOPS messages with 'NULL pointer dereference'
- dmesg entries containing 'sof-audio-pci-intel' and 'error: memory alloc failed'
- System crash/panic logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "sof-audio-pci-intel" AND "memory alloc failed")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01df5f7627f1624d6bb0b8c0870a569b32adfbf8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/09eca322d4118dc26570ca6100fa34e59e5a5143
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c307349fe060971625b856c92f0361b8ea9a120
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/67f7bd9ff9079c1ee2de58e024fb582905c74c16
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6094744e261083d3790c3def770ebf5060d383b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7fb0ae09009d076964afe4c1a2bde1ee2bd88a9
