System crash via zero-length ELF section table
Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026
Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel module loader allows local users to crash the kernel by loading a crafted module. In elf_validity_check, a zero sh_size makes the loader read secstrings[-1] while checking whether the ELF section-name table is null-terminated. Triggering the fault requires permission to load a kernel module, and successful exploitation causes a kernel page fault and service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel module loader allows local users to crash the kernel by loading a crafted module. In elf_validity_check, a zero sh_size makes the loader read secstrings[-1] while checking whether the ELF section-name table is null-terminated. Triggering the fault requires permission to load a kernel module, and successful exploitation causes a kernel page fault and service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-49444
- Published
- Feb 26, 2025
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-125, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=05d891e76dde3e430c707dae7d85139794eeadbd
- Affected versionversion=214aa69cac91a723239118bbbfe77d5654ddff6b
- Affected versionversion=5.10.26 <5.11
- Affected versionversion=5.11.3 <5.12
- Affected versionversion=5.12
- Affected versionversion=5.4.110 <5.5
- Affected versionversion=d802672c7f00963613f289579073ac519f0d306c
- Affected versionversion=ec2a29593c83ed71a7f16e3243941ebfcf75fdf6 <09cb6663618a74fe5572a4931ecbf098832e79ec
- Affected versionversion=ec2a29593c83ed71a7f16e3243941ebfcf75fdf6 <391e982bfa632b8315235d8be9c0a81374c6a19c
- Affected versionversion=ec2a29593c83ed71a7f16e3243941ebfcf75fdf6 <45a76414b6d8b8b39c23fea53b9d20e831ae72a0
- Affected versionversion=ec2a29593c83ed71a7f16e3243941ebfcf75fdf6 <921630e2e5124a04158129a8f22f4b425e61a858
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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