CVE-2022-48720·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: macsec: Fix offload support for NETDEV_UNREGISTER event Current macsec netdev notify handler handles NETDEV_UNREGISTER event by releasing relevant SW resources only, this causes resources leak in case of macsec HW offload, as the underlay driver was not notified to clean it's macsec offload resources. Fix by calling the underlay driver to clean it's relevant resources by moving offload handling from macsec_dellink() to macsec_common_dellink() when handling NETDEV_UNREGISTER event.
- Severity
- medium
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 5.16.8
- Published
- 2024-06-20
Affected versions
From: 5.16
Until: 5.16.8
Fixed in: 5.16.8
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 5.16.8 or later to remediate CVE-2022-48720. This vulnerability affects macsec (MAC Security) hardware offload functionality, where network device unregistration events were not properly notifying underlay drivers to release offload resources, causing memory leaks. Apply the kernel security patch through your distribution's package manager and reboot your system to complete remediation.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel && sudo rebootDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check installed kernel version: uname -r | grep -E '^5\.16\.[0-7]($|[^0-9])'
- Verify macsec module is loaded: lsmod | grep macsec
- Check for active macsec interfaces with hardware offload: ip macsec show | grep -i offload
- Confirm kernel patch level: cat /proc/version and verify it matches 5.16.8 or later
FAQ
What is CVE-2022-48720?
CVE-2022-48720 is a kernel vulnerability in macsec hardware offload handling where network device unregistration fails to notify underlying drivers to properly clean up offload resources, resulting in memory and resource leaks on systems using macsec security features.
Is CVE-2022-48720 being actively exploited?
No, CVE-2022-48720 is not listed on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and no public exploits are available. This is a resource leak vulnerability that requires local access and macsec hardware offload configuration.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2022-48720?
Linux kernel versions 5.16 through 5.16.7 are affected. The vulnerability is patched in kernel version 5.16.8 and later.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2022-48720?
Run 'uname -r' and check if the output matches 5.16.0 through 5.16.7. If macsec is not in use (verify with 'lsmod | grep macsec'), your system is not practically vulnerable to exploitation from this issue.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2022-48720?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2022-48720 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e7f5b6ee1a7a2c628253a95b0a95b582901ef1b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8299be160aad8548071d080518712dec0df92bd5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9cef24c8b76c1f6effe499d2f131807c90f7ce9a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e7a0b3a0806dae3cc81931f0e83055ca2ac6f455
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e7f5b6ee1a7a2c628253a95b0a95b582901ef1b
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