CVE-2022-48960·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: hisilicon: Fix potential use-after-free in hix5hd2_rx() The skb is delivered to napi_gro_receive() which may free it, after calling this, dereferencing skb may trigger use-after-free.
- Severity
- high
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.0.13
- Published
How likely is exploitation
FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at <0.1% — higher than 2% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.
Read the two together. CVE-2022-48960 scores 7.8 on CVSS, so a successful attack would be serious — but at <0.1%, almost nobody is currently attempting it. That is a different situation from a flaw under mass exploitation, and it is usually the difference between patching on your next maintenance window and patching tonight.
Affected versions
From: 5.16
Until: 6.0.13
Fixed in: 6.0.13
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.0.13 or later to address a use-after-free vulnerability in the Hisilicon network driver's packet reception routine. This flaw could allow a local, low-privileged attacker to corrupt kernel memory and escalate privileges. Apply the patch immediately to systems running affected kernel versions between 5.16 and 6.0.12.
sudo dnf check-update kernel && sudo dnf install kernelDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check current kernel version: uname -r — vulnerable versions are 5.16.x through 6.0.12
- Verify Hisilicon network driver is loaded: lsmod | grep -i hix5hd2 — if present, the vulnerable code path exists
- Monitor dmesg for kernel oops or page faults: sudo dmesg | grep -i 'use-after-free\|use after free\|UAF' — confirms potential exploitation attempts
- After patching, reboot and confirm kernel version: uname -r — should show 6.0.13 or later
FAQ
What is CVE-2022-48960?
A use-after-free memory safety bug in the Hisilicon network device driver that occurs when the kernel attempts to access an sk_buff structure after it has already been freed by the network stack. This can lead to kernel memory corruption and privilege escalation from a local user context.
Is CVE-2022-48960 being actively exploited?
No, this vulnerability is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and no public exploits are currently available. However, the severity remains high due to the local privilege escalation potential.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2022-48960?
Linux kernel versions 5.16.0 through 6.0.12 are vulnerable. Kernel 6.0.13 and later include the fix.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2022-48960?
Run uname -r to display your kernel version; if it falls between 5.16 and 6.0.12, your system is vulnerable. Additionally, verify the Hisilicon driver is in use with lsmod | grep hix5hd2.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2022-48960?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2022-48960 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/179499e7a240b2ef590f05eb379c810c26bbc8a4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b6360a093ab8969c91a30bb58b753282e2ced4c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a4eddd1cb023a71df4152fcc76092953e6fe95a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/433c07a13f59856e4585e89e86b7d4cc59348fab
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8067cd244cea2c332f8326842fd10158fa2cb64f
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