CVE-2022-49828
📋 TL;DR
A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel's HugeTLBFS subsystem where poisoned memory pages were incorrectly removed from the page cache. When exploited, this could cause applications to unknowingly use corrupted memory instead of receiving proper error notifications. This affects Linux systems using HugeTLBFS for large memory pages.
💻 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 →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
Memory corruption leading to application crashes, data corruption, or potential privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Application instability, crashes, or data corruption when accessing poisoned huge pages.
If Mitigated
Applications receive proper EIO errors or SIGBUS signals when accessing poisoned pages, preventing silent corruption.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access, ability to trigger memory poisoning, and specific conditions with HugeTLBFS usage.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits 30571f28bb35c826219971c63bcf60d2517112ed, 8625147cafaa9ba74713d682f5185eb62cb2aedb, or ec667443b2dbc6cdbbac4073e51a17733158ec6a
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30571f28bb35c826219971c63bcf60d2517112ed
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable HugeTLBFS
linuxDisable huge page support if not required
echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabled
echo 0 > /proc/sys/vm/nr_hugepages
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system logs for memory error messages and application crashes
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and verify if HugeTLBFS is enabled: cat /proc/meminfo | grep HugePagesCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version contains fix commits or check with distribution-specific security tools📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel logs showing memory errors
- Application crashes with SIGBUS signals
- EIO errors in application logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("HugeTLB" OR "memory failure" OR "SIGBUS")