CVE-2022-49819
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's octeon_ep driver could allow local attackers to exhaust kernel memory resources, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service. This affects systems using the octeon_ep driver for Cavium OCTEON network adapters. Attackers need local access to exploit this vulnerability.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with octeon_ep driver
📦 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 →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
System crash or kernel panic due to memory exhaustion, requiring physical or remote console access to reboot the system.
Likely Case
Degraded system performance or application failures due to memory pressure, potentially requiring system restart.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls preventing local attackers from triggering the vulnerable code path.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger device initialization failures in the octeon_ep driver.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commits 67b65a0db8a7fdad43159819f41335497a4bb04f and e4041be97b15302ebfffda8bbd45f3b2d096048f
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/67b65a0db8a7fdad43159819f41335497a4bb04f
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel package. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable octeon_ep driver
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist octeon_ep' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod octeon_ep
Restrict local access
allLimit local user access to systems with OCTEON adapters
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system memory usage for unusual patterns indicating potential exploitation
- Implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized local users from accessing affected systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if octeon_ep module is loaded: lsmod | grep octeon_ep. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits or is newer than vulnerable versions. Check dmesg for octeon_ep initialization errors.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- octeon_ep driver initialization errors
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("octeon_ep" OR "out of memory" OR "oom-killer")