high CVSS 7.1

CVE-2022-49503·Kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ath9k_htc: fix potential out of bounds access with invalid rxstatus->rs_keyix The "rxstatus->rs_keyix" eventually gets passed to test_bit() so we need to ensure that it is within the bitmap. drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/common.c:46 ath9k_cmn_rx_accept() error: passing untrusted data 'rx_stats->rs_keyix' to 'test_bit()'

Severity
high
Software
Kernel
Fixed in
5.18.3
Published
2025-02-26

Affected versions

From: 5.18

Until: 5.18.3

Fixed in: 5.18.3

How to fix this CVE

Update your Linux kernel to version 5.18.3 or later to address a bounds-checking vulnerability in the ath9k_htc wireless driver that could allow out-of-bounds memory access. This fix validates the rxstatus->rs_keyix field before it is used in bitmap operations, preventing potential privilege escalation or denial of service from local attackers.

sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Check your kernel version by running 'uname -r' and verify if it falls between 5.18 and 5.18.2
  2. Step 2: Confirm if ath9k_htc driver is loaded by running 'lsmod | grep ath9k_htc' or 'ethtool -i <interface> | grep driver'
  3. Step 3: Search system logs for wireless driver errors with 'grep -i "ath9k\|keyix" /var/log/kern.log' or 'journalctl -u kernel | grep -i ath9k'
  4. Step 4: After patching, verify the kernel update with 'uname -r' and confirm it shows 5.18.3 or higher

FAQ

What is CVE-2022-49503?

This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds memory access flaw in the ath9k_htc Wi-Fi driver that fails to validate the rxstatus->rs_keyix field before using it in bitmap operations, potentially allowing local privilege escalation or kernel crashes.

Is CVE-2022-49503 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and no public exploits are currently available, though it remains a local privilege escalation risk.

What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2022-49503?

Linux kernel versions 5.18 through 5.18.2 are affected; version 5.18.3 and later contain the fix.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2022-49503?

Run 'uname -r' to check your kernel version, and 'lsmod | grep ath9k_htc' to verify if the vulnerable driver is loaded. If your kernel is between 5.18 and 5.18.2 and the driver is present, you are vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2022-49503?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2022-49503 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

Related Kernel CVEs

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CVE-2024-38612CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: sr: fix invalid unregister error path The error path of seg6_init() is wrong in case CONFIG_IPV6_SEG6_LWTUNNEL is not defined. In that case if seg6_hmac_init() fails, the genl_unregister_family() isn't called. This issue exist since commit 46738b1317e1 ("ipv6: sr: add option to control lwtunnel support"), and commit 5559cea2d5aa ("ipv6: sr: fix possible use-after-free and null-ptr-deref") replaced unregister_pernet_subsys() with genl_unregister_family() in this error path.
CVE-2024-38623CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: Use variable length array instead of fixed size Should fix smatch warning: ntfs_set_label() error: __builtin_memcpy() 'uni->name' too small (20 vs 256)
CVE-2021-47548CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ethernet: hisilicon: hns: hns_dsaf_misc: fix a possible array overflow in hns_dsaf_ge_srst_by_port() The if statement: if (port >= DSAF_GE_NUM) return; limits the value of port less than DSAF_GE_NUM (i.e., 8). However, if the value of port is 6 or 7, an array overflow could occur: port_rst_off = dsaf_dev->mac_cb[port]->port_rst_off; because the length of dsaf_dev->mac_cb is DSAF_MAX_PORT_NUM (i.e., 6). To fix this possible array overflow, we first check port and if it is greater than or equal to DSAF_MAX_PORT_NUM, the function returns.

References

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