CVE-2022-50710
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ice network driver. A local user, by changing the number of transmit queues using the ethtool utility, can trigger an issue where newly allocated transmit rings are not properly initialized. This can lead to a null pointer dereference, causing a system crash and a Denial of Service (DoS).
Mitigation
The vulnerability requires a local user to have privileges to use the ethtool utility and an ice network adapter. To mitigate this issue, restrict access to the ethtool utility to trusted administrators. If the ice network driver is not in use, consider blacklisting the ice kernel module to prevent it from loading.
To blacklist the ice module:
1. Create a file `/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ice.conf` with the following content:
`blacklist ice`
2. Regenerate the initramfs:
`dracut -f -v` (for RHEL 7/8) or `dracut -f -v --kver $(uname -r)` (for RHEL 9)
3. Reboot the system for the changes to take effect.
This mitigation may impact network functionality if the ice driver is required for network operations.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.8 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
NULL pointer dereferences usually result in the failure of the process unless exception handling (on some platforms) is available and implemented. Even when exception handling is being used, it can still be very difficult to return the software to a safe state of operation.
Integrity,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution.
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