Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6 bpf kernel/bpf/btf.c decl_tag privilege escalation

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6. Affected by this vulnerability is the function decl_tag of the file kernel/bpf/btf.c of the component bpf. Performing a manipulation results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2022-50862. There is not any exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.0.6. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function decl_tag of the file kernel/bpf/btf.c of the component bpf. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: prevent decl_tag from being referenced in func_proto Syzkaller was able to hit the following issue: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 3609 at kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 btf_type_id_size+0x2d5/0x9d0 kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 3609 Comm: syz-executor361 Not tainted 6.0.0-syzkaller-02734-g0326074ff465 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/22/2022 RIP: 0010:btf_type_id_size+0x2d5/0x9d0 kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 Code: ef e8 7f 8e e4 ff 41 83 ff 0b 77 28 f6 44 24 10 18 75 3f e8 6d 91 e4 ff 44 89 fe bf 0e 00 00 00 e8 20 8e e4 ff e8 5b 91 e4 ff <0f> 0b 45 31 f6 e9 98 02 00 00 41 83 ff 12 74 18 e8 46 91 e4 ff 44 RSP: 0018:ffffc90003cefb40 EFLAGS: 00010293 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: ffff8880259c0000 RSI: ffffffff81968415 RDI: 0000000000000005 RBP: ffff88801270ca00 R08: 0000000000000005 R09: 000000000000000e R10: 0000000000000011 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000011 R14: ffff888026ee6424 R15: 0000000000000011 FS: 000055555641b300(0000) GS:ffff8880b9a00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000000f2e258 CR3: 000000007110e000 CR4: 00000000003506f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> btf_func_proto_check kernel/bpf/btf.c:4447 [inline] btf_check_all_types kernel/bpf/btf.c:4723 [inline] btf_parse_type_sec kernel/bpf/btf.c:4752 [inline] btf_parse kernel/bpf/btf.c:5026 [inline] btf_new_fd+0x1926/0x1e70 kernel/bpf/btf.c:6892 bpf_btf_load kernel/bpf/syscall.c:4324 [inline] __sys_bpf+0xb7d/0x4cf0 kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5010 __do_sys_bpf kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5069 [inline] __se_sys_bpf kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5067 [inline] __x64_sys_bpf+0x75/0xb0 kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5067 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x35/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x7f0fbae41c69 Code: 28 c3 e8 2a 14 00 00 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 c0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007ffc8aeb6228 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000141 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007f0fbae41c69 RDX: 0000000000000020 RSI: 0000000020000140 RDI: 0000000000000012 RBP: 00007f0fbae05e10 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 00000000ffffffff R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007f0fbae05ea0 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000 </TASK> Looks like it tries to create a func_proto which return type is decl_tag. For the details, see Martin's spot on analysis in [0]. 0: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAKH8qBuQDLva_hHxxBuZzyAcYNO4ejhovz6TQeVSk8HY-2SO6g@mail.gmail.com/T/#mea6524b3fcd6298347432226e81b1e6155efc62c

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2022-50862 since 12/30/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 04/26/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 281542 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2022-50862), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.0.7 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch e9dbb4c539d058852b76937dcd7347d3f38054f2/ea68376c8bed5cd156900852aada20c3a0874d17 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 databases at Tenable (281542) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2941). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• IBM Power Hardware Management Console
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• IBM DataPower Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.0.0
• 6.0.1
• 6.0.2
• 6.0.3
• 6.0.4
• 6.0.5
• 6.0.6

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

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