CVE-2022-49400
📋 TL;DR
This is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's RAID0 implementation that can cause kernel panics and system crashes. It affects Linux systems using RAID0 arrays, particularly during reshape operations. The vulnerability occurs when the kernel incorrectly sets a pointer to NULL during RAID reconfiguration.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux Kernel
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash and kernel panic leading to denial of service, potential data corruption in RAID arrays, and system instability requiring reboot.
Likely Case
System crash during RAID reshape operations, causing temporary denial of service and requiring system reboot to recover.
If Mitigated
No impact if RAID reshape operations are avoided or if systems are not using RAID0 arrays.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to perform RAID reshape operations, typically requiring root or privileged access. No known public exploits.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 0f2571ad7a30ff6b33cde142439f9378669f8b4f, 7da3454a65f8a56e65dfb44fa0ccac08cbc2f5a1, b7a51df785031cc49caf1c59766ca89cfa97b54b, f63fd1e0e0fc158023cc67ea6a07e278019061ba
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0f2571ad7a30ff6b33cde142439f9378669f8b4f
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. For RHEL/CentOS: yum update kernel. 3. For Ubuntu/Debian: apt update && apt upgrade linux-image. 4. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid RAID reshape operations
linuxDo not perform reshape operations on RAID0 arrays until patched
Disable RAID0 if not needed
linuxRemove or avoid using RAID0 arrays on vulnerable systems
mdadm --stop /dev/mdX
mdadm --zero-superblock /dev/sdX
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Avoid performing any RAID reshape operations on RAID0 arrays
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic messages related to RAID operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if using RAID0: uname -r && cat /proc/mdstatCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits: uname -r && grep -q 'raid0.*free' /proc/kallsyms || echo 'Patched'📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning 'raid10.c' or 'NULL pointer dereference'
- System crash logs during RAID operations
- mdadm operation failures
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local kernel vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("raid10.c" OR "NULL pointer" OR "kernel panic")