CVE-2022-49417
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the iwlwifi driver's MEI component in the Linux kernel could cause kernel crashes or potential privilege escalation. This affects systems using Intel Wi-Fi hardware with vulnerable kernel versions. The vulnerability occurs when SKB allocation fails but code continues using a NULL pointer.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash or potential privilege escalation to kernel mode if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
System instability, kernel crashes, or denial of service when Wi-Fi operations trigger the allocation failure condition.
If Mitigated
Minor system instability that requires physical access or local user privileges to trigger.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger specific Wi-Fi driver operations under memory pressure conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits: 29b81de94d62b5e2704bb5106b3e701ca8d7c7a4, 5d8d06fd3a02919100b28f927bcb76481ec0a0e3, 78488a64aea94a3336ee97f345c1496e9bc5ebdf
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/29b81de94d62b5e2704bb5106b3e701ca8d7c7a4
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Check distribution-specific security updates. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable iwlwifi driver
linuxTemporarily disable the vulnerable Wi-Fi driver if not needed
sudo modprobe -r iwlwifi
Use wired networking
linuxDisable Wi-Fi and use Ethernet connection only
sudo nmcli radio wifi off
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable kernels
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or oops messages related to iwlwifi
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if iwlwifi module is loaded: lsmod | grep iwlwifi && uname -rCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is updated and check git commit history includes the fix commits📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oops messages
- System crashes related to iwlwifi driver
- dmesg output showing NULL pointer dereference
Network Indicators:
- Unusual Wi-Fi disconnections
- Network interface failures
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("iwlwifi" OR "NULL pointer") AND ("dereference" OR "panic" OR "oops")