CVE-2022-49965
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability exists in the AMD GPU driver for Linux kernel systems with SMU13-based graphics cards. This vulnerability allows attackers to cause gradual memory exhaustion by repeatedly triggering specific driver operations. Systems using affected AMD GPUs with unpatched Linux kernels are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- AMD Radeon graphics cards with SMU13 architecture
- Linux kernel with AMDGPU 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service through resource depletion.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption over time leading to performance degradation and potential system instability requiring reboots.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper patching; memory leaks would be prevented and cleaned up properly.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger specific driver operations; no public exploit code has been identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions containing commits 22a75c616f1971c23838506b14971a4ef4a66bd7 and 4bac1c846eff8042dd59ddecd0a43f3b9de5fd23
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22a75c616f1971c23838506b14971a4ef4a66bd7
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify AMDGPU driver is properly loaded after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable AMDGPU driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable AMDGPU driver module
echo 'blacklist amdgpu' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-amdgpu.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system memory usage for unusual consumption patterns
- Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable configurations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if AMDGPU driver is loaded: uname -r && lsmod | grep amdgpuCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and check dmesg for AMDGPU driver initialization without errors📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel OOM (Out of Memory) messages
- AMDGPU driver error messages in dmesg
- Gradually increasing memory usage in system logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "OOM" OR "amdgpu")