CVE-2022-2873 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2022
An out-of-bounds memory access flaw was found in the Linux kernel Intel’s iSMT SMBus host controller driver in the way a user triggers the I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_DATA (with the ioctl I2C_SMBUS) with malicious input data. This flaw allows a local user to crash the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2022-2873 represents a critical out-of-bounds memory access flaw within the Linux kernel's Intel iSMT SMBus host controller driver implementation. This issue specifically manifests when a user triggers the I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_DATA ioctl operation with maliciously crafted input data, creating a scenario where the kernel's memory management system fails to properly validate buffer boundaries during SMBus communication operations. The flaw exists at the intersection of hardware abstraction layer design and kernel security mechanisms, where insufficient input validation allows for memory corruption that can be exploited locally by authenticated users with access to the system. The vulnerability affects systems utilizing Intel's iSMT (Intel SpeedStep) SMBus controller implementations and demonstrates the inherent risks in kernel drivers that handle complex hardware communication protocols without adequate bounds checking.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_DATA ioctl command which is designed to facilitate block data transfers over SMBus interfaces. When a malicious user provides input data that exceeds expected buffer sizes or contains malformed structures, the kernel driver fails to properly validate these inputs before processing them through the SMBus communication stack. This leads to memory access violations where the kernel attempts to read or write beyond allocated buffer boundaries, resulting in memory corruption that can cause immediate system crashes or potentially more severe consequences depending on the memory locations affected. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the SMBus driver subsystem, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by any local user with appropriate permissions to access the SMBus interface.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for system stability and availability in environments where local user access is possible or where privilege escalation attacks may occur. The local privilege escalation potential exists because any authenticated user can trigger the vulnerable code path through standard SMBus ioctl operations, making this a particularly concerning flaw for multi-user systems or server environments where users might have legitimate access to SMBus interfaces. The system crash resulting from this vulnerability can lead to denial of service conditions that may require manual intervention to restore system functionality, potentially disrupting critical services or operations. Organizations running Linux systems with Intel iSMT SMBus controllers are particularly at risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring special privileges beyond basic user access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2873 should prioritize immediate patching of affected kernel versions, with administrators monitoring for security updates from their Linux distribution vendors. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 Input Validation and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write categories, reflecting the fundamental security principles that proper input validation and memory bounds checking are essential in kernel space operations. Organizations should implement additional monitoring for suspicious SMBus activity and consider restricting user access to SMBus interfaces where possible, though this may impact legitimate system functionality. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1068 Valid Accounts and T1499 Endpoint Denial of Service, as it leverages legitimate system access to cause system instability. System administrators should also consider implementing kernel lockdown mechanisms and ensuring that only necessary SMBus interfaces are enabled on production systems to minimize the attack surface. Regular security audits of kernel drivers and communication protocols should be conducted to identify similar validation flaws that may exist in other hardware abstraction layers.