CVE-2022-50507
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2022-50507 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NTFS3 filesystem driver. Attackers can trigger this vulnerability by mounting a specially crafted NTFS filesystem, potentially leading to kernel memory corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution. This affects any Linux system using the NTFS3 driver with kernel versions 5.19+.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux Kernel
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash, or local privilege escalation allowing attackers to gain root privileges and execute arbitrary code in kernel context.
Likely Case
System crash or denial of service when mounting malicious NTFS filesystems, potentially leading to data loss or service disruption.
If Mitigated
Limited to denial of service if kernel hardening features like KASAN or KPTI are enabled, preventing full privilege escalation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to mount a malicious NTFS filesystem, which typically requires local access or ability to insert removable media.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel 5.19.8 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6db620863f8528ed9a9aa5ad323b26554a17881d
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version 5.19.8 or later. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel package. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable NTFS3 driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable NTFS3 filesystem driver
echo 'blacklist ntfs3' > /etc/modprobe.d/ntfs3-blacklist.conf
rmmod ntfs3
Use NTFS-3G instead
linuxUse userspace NTFS-3G driver instead of kernel NTFS3 driver
apt-get install ntfs-3g
yum install ntfs-3g
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict mount permissions to prevent untrusted users from mounting filesystems
- Implement strict access controls on removable media and network shares
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version: uname -r. If between 5.19 and 5.19.7, check if NTFS3 module is loaded: lsmod | grep ntfs3Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
After update, verify kernel version is 5.19.8 or later: uname -r. Confirm NTFS3 module loads without errors during mount operations.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- KASAN reports of use-after-free in run_unpack function
- System crashes during NTFS mount operations
Network Indicators:
- None - local filesystem vulnerability
SIEM Query:
kernel: "BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in run_unpack" OR kernel: "ntfs3: " AND (panic OR crash OR oops)