CVE-2022-50548
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's hi846 camera sensor driver. When the driver fails to parse device tree properties for supported link frequencies, it doesn't properly release V4L2 fwnode resources, causing kernel memory exhaustion over time. This affects Linux systems using the hi846 camera sensor driver.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with hi846 camera driver
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, crashes, or denial of service on affected devices.
Likely Case
Gradual memory leak during camera initialization failures, potentially causing system performance degradation or crashes over time.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits; system remains functional but may experience occasional memory pressure.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering the specific error condition in hi846_parse_dt(); attacker needs to manipulate device tree or cause parsing failures.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits: 4368730678412a8fa71960dbda81e122dafa70f7, 80113026d415e27483669db7a88b548d1ec3d3d1, a05a9ae9ef3fffc9bc7ec2bc432a249a01155f6e
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4368730678412a8fa71960dbda81e122dafa70f7
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Check your distribution's security advisories for backported patches. 3. Reboot system after kernel update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable hi846 driver module
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable hi846 camera driver if not needed
echo 'blacklist hi846' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-hi846.conf
rmmod hi846
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor kernel memory usage and system logs for memory leak indicators
- Implement kernel memory limits using cgroups to contain potential impact
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if hi846 module is loaded: lsmod | grep hi846; check kernel version against patched versionsCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits; test camera functionality with hi846 hardware📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- Camera initialization errors
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("hi846" OR "memory leak" OR "oom-killer")