Linux Kernel up to 5.17.1 bprm_stack_limits null pointer dereference

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5.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.1. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this issue is the function bprm_stack_limits. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2022-49264. No exploit exists. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.1 and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function bprm_stack_limits. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exec: Force single empty string when argv is empty Quoting[1] Ariadne Conill: "In several other operating systems, it is a hard requirement that the second argument to execve(2) be the name of a program, thus prohibiting a scenario where argc < 1. POSIX 2017 also recommends this behaviour, but it is not an explicit requirement[2]: The argument arg0 should point to a filename string that is associated with the process being started by one of the exec functions. ... Interestingly, Michael Kerrisk opened an issue about this in 2008[3], but there was no consensus to support fixing this issue then. Hopefully now that CVE-2021-4034 shows practical exploitative use[4] of this bug in a shellcode, we can reconsider. This issue is being tracked in the KSPP issue tracker[5]." While the initial code searches[6][7] turned up what appeared to be mostly corner case tests, trying to that just reject argv == NULL (or an immediately terminated pointer list) quickly started tripping[8] existing userspace programs. The next best approach is forcing a single empty string into argv and adjusting argc to match. The number of programs depending on argc == 0 seems a smaller set than those calling execve with a NULL argv. Account for the additional stack space in bprm_stack_limits(). Inject an empty string when argc == 0 (and set argc = 1). Warn about the case so userspace has some notice about the change: process './argc0' launched './argc0' with NULL argv: empty string added Additionally WARN() and reject NULL argv usage for kernel threads. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/[email protected]/ [2] https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/functions/exec.html [3] https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=8408 [4] https://www.qualys.com/2022/01/25/cve-2021-4034/pwnkit.txt [5] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/176 [6] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execve%5C+*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C+*NULL&literal=0 [7] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execlp%3F%5Cs*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C%5Cs*NULL&literal=0 [8] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20220131144352.GE16385@xsang-OptiPlex-9020/

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2022-49264 since 02/26/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 235744 (EulerOS 2.0 SP10 : kernel (EulerOS-SA-2025-1520)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.9.317, 4.14.282, 4.19.246, 5.4.197, 5.10.110, 5.15.33, 5.16.19 or 5.17.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 41f6ea5b9aaa28b740d47ffe995a5013211fdbb0/98e0c7c702894987732776736c99b85ade6fba45/b50fb8dbc8b81aaa126387de428f4c42a7c72a73/1fe82bfd9e4ce93399d815ca458b58505191c3e8/27a6f495b63a1804cc71be45911065db7757a98c/1290eb4412aa0f0e9f3434b406dc8e255da85f9e/a8054d3fa5deb84b215d6be1b910a978f3cb840d/cfbfff8ce5e3d674947581f1eb9af0a1b1807950/dcd46d897adb70d63e025f175a00a89797d31a43 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.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (235744). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 235744
Nessus Name: EulerOS 2.0 SP10 : kernel (EulerOS-SA-2025-1520)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Kernel 4.9.317/4.14.282/4.19.246/5.4.197/5.10.110/5.15.33/5.16.19/5.17.2
Patch: 41f6ea5b9aaa28b740d47ffe995a5013211fdbb0/98e0c7c702894987732776736c99b85ade6fba45/b50fb8dbc8b81aaa126387de428f4c42a7c72a73/1fe82bfd9e4ce93399d815ca458b58505191c3e8/27a6f495b63a1804cc71be45911065db7757a98c/1290eb4412aa0f0e9f3434b406dc8e255da85f9e/a8054d3fa5deb84b215d6be1b910a978f3cb840d/cfbfff8ce5e3d674947581f1eb9af0a1b1807950/dcd46d897adb70d63e025f175a00a89797d31a43

Timelineinfo

02/26/2025 🔍
02/26/2025 +0 days 🔍
02/26/2025 +0 days 🔍
10/21/2025 +237 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2022-49264 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2022-49264
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-297562

Entryinfo

Created: 02/26/2025 12:16
Updated: 10/21/2025 18:04
Changes: 02/26/2025 12:16 (58), 05/13/2025 13:34 (2), 10/21/2025 18:04 (12)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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