Linux Kernel up to 5.15.52/5.18.9 virt_addr_valid high_memory privilege escalation

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as problematic has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.52/5.18.9. This vulnerability affects the function virt_addr_valid. Performing a manipulation of the argument high_memory results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2022-49666. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.52/5.18.9. The manipulation of the argument high_memory with an unknown input leads to a unknown weakness. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/memhotplug: Add add_pages override for PPC With commit ffa0b64e3be5 ("powerpc: Fix virt_addr_valid() for 64-bit Book3E & 32-bit") the kernel now validate the addr against high_memory value. This results in the below BUG_ON with dax pfns. [ 635.798741][T26531] kernel BUG at mm/page_alloc.c:5521! 1:mon> e cpu 0x1: Vector: 700 (Program Check) at [c000000007287630] pc: c00000000055ed48: free_pages.part.0+0x48/0x110 lr: c00000000053ca70: tlb_finish_mmu+0x80/0xd0 sp: c0000000072878d0 msr: 800000000282b033 current = 0xc00000000afabe00 paca = 0xc00000037ffff300 irqmask: 0x03 irq_happened: 0x05 pid = 26531, comm = 50-landscape-sy kernel BUG at :5521! Linux version 5.19.0-rc3-14659-g4ec05be7c2e1 (kvaneesh@ltc-boston8) (gcc (Ubuntu 9.4.0-1ubuntu1~20.04.1) 9.4.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils for Ubuntu) 2.34) #625 SMP Thu Jun 23 00:35:43 CDT 2022 1:mon> t [link register ] c00000000053ca70 tlb_finish_mmu+0x80/0xd0 [c0000000072878d0] c00000000053ca54 tlb_finish_mmu+0x64/0xd0 (unreliable) [c000000007287900] c000000000539424 exit_mmap+0xe4/0x2a0 [c0000000072879e0] c00000000019fc1c mmput+0xcc/0x210 [c000000007287a20] c000000000629230 begin_new_exec+0x5e0/0xf40 [c000000007287ae0] c00000000070b3cc load_elf_binary+0x3ac/0x1e00 [c000000007287c10] c000000000627af0 bprm_execve+0x3b0/0xaf0 [c000000007287cd0] c000000000628414 do_execveat_common.isra.0+0x1e4/0x310 [c000000007287d80] c00000000062858c sys_execve+0x4c/0x60 [c000000007287db0] c00000000002c1b0 system_call_exception+0x160/0x2c0 [c000000007287e10] c00000000000c53c system_call_common+0xec/0x250 The fix is to make sure we update high_memory on memory hotplug. This is similar to what x86 does in commit 3072e413e305 ("mm/memory_hotplug: introduce add_pages")

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2022-49666 since 02/26/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 5.15.53 or 5.18.10 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 89296ac435e2cf8a5101f7fab8f0c7b754b92052/84d146fd35a01b08e9515041de60f0f915a417d5/ac790d09885d36143076e7e02825c541e8eee899 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.0
• 5.15.1
• 5.15.2
• 5.15.3
• 5.15.4
• 5.15.5
• 5.15.6
• 5.15.7
• 5.15.8
• 5.15.9
• 5.15.10
• 5.15.11
• 5.15.12
• 5.15.13
• 5.15.14
• 5.15.15
• 5.15.16
• 5.15.17
• 5.15.18
• 5.15.19
• 5.15.20
• 5.15.21
• 5.15.22
• 5.15.23
• 5.15.24
• 5.15.25
• 5.15.26
• 5.15.27
• 5.15.28
• 5.15.29
• 5.15.30
• 5.15.31
• 5.15.32
• 5.15.33
• 5.15.34
• 5.15.35
• 5.15.36
• 5.15.37
• 5.15.38
• 5.15.39
• 5.15.40
• 5.15.41
• 5.15.42
• 5.15.43
• 5.15.44
• 5.15.45
• 5.15.46
• 5.15.47
• 5.15.48
• 5.15.49
• 5.15.50
• 5.15.51
• 5.15.52
• 5.18.0
• 5.18.1
• 5.18.2
• 5.18.3
• 5.18.4
• 5.18.5
• 5.18.6
• 5.18.7
• 5.18.8
• 5.18.9

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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