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CVE Record

CVE-2022-48970: af_unix: Get user_ns from in_skb in unix_diag_get_exact().

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: af_unix: Get user_ns from in_skb in unix_diag_get_exact(). Wei Chen reported a NULL deref in sk_user_ns() [0][1], and Paolo diagnosed the root cause: in unix_diag_get_exact(), the newly allocated skb does not have sk. [2] We must get the user_ns from the NETLINK_CB(in_skb).sk and pass it to sk_diag_fill(). [0]: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000270 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page PGD 12bbce067 P4D 12bbce067 PUD 12bc40067 PMD 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP CPU: 0 PID: 27942 Comm: syz-executor.0 Not tainted 6.1.0-rc5-next-20221118 #2 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.13.0-48-gd9c812dda519-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:sk_user_ns include/net/sock.h:920 [inline] RIP: 0010:sk_diag_dump_uid net/unix/diag.c:119 [inline] RIP: 0010:sk_diag_fill+0x77d/0x890 net/unix/diag.c:170 Code: 89 ef e8 66 d4 2d fd c7 44 24 40 00 00 00 00 49 8d 7c 24 18 e8 54 d7 2d fd 49 8b 5c 24 18 48 8d bb 70 02 00 00 e8 43 d7 2d fd <48> 8b 9b 70 02 00 00 48 8d 7b 10 e8 33 d7 2d fd 48 8b 5b 10 48 8d RSP: 0018:ffffc90000d67968 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: ffff88812badaa48 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: ffffffff840d481d RDX: 0000000000000465 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000270 RBP: ffffc90000d679a8 R08: 0000000000000277 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0001ffffffffffff R11: 0001c90000d679a8 R12: ffff88812ac03800 R13: ffff88812c87c400 R14: ffff88812ae42210 R15: ffff888103026940 FS: 00007f08b4e6f700(0000) GS:ffff88813bc00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000000000270 CR3: 000000012c58b000 CR4: 00000000003506f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> unix_diag_get_exact net/unix/diag.c:285 [inline] unix_diag_handler_dump+0x3f9/0x500 net/unix/diag.c:317 __sock_diag_cmd net/core/sock_diag.c:235 [inline] sock_diag_rcv_msg+0x237/0x250 net/core/sock_diag.c:266 netlink_rcv_skb+0x13e/0x250 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2564 sock_diag_rcv+0x24/0x40 net/core/sock_diag.c:277 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1330 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x5e9/0x6b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1356 netlink_sendmsg+0x739/0x860 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1932 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:714 [inline] sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:734 [inline] ____sys_sendmsg+0x38f/0x500 net/socket.c:2476 ___sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2530 [inline] __sys_sendmsg+0x197/0x230 net/socket.c:2559 __do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2568 [inline] __se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2566 [inline] __x64_sys_sendmsg+0x42/0x50 net/socket.c:2566 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x2b/0x70 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x4697f9 Code: f7 d8 64 89 02 b8 ff ff ff ff c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 bc ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007f08b4e6ec48 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000000000077bf80 RCX: 00000000004697f9 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00000000200001c0 RDI: 0000000000000003 RBP: 00000000004d29e9 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 000000000077bf80 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 000000000077bf80 R15: 00007ffdb36bc6c0 </TASK> Modules linked in: CR2: 0000000000000270 [1]: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/CAO4mrfdvyjFpokhNsiwZiP-wpdSD0AStcJwfKcKQdAALQ9_2Qw@mail.gmail.com/ [2]: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/e04315e7c90d9a75613f3993c2baf2d344eef7eb.camel@redhat.com/

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-48970 is a Linux kernel bug in AF_UNIX socket diagnostics. A malformed diagnostic path can hit a kernel NULL pointer dereference, which can destabilize the system. The public bundle supports denial-of-service concern, not data theft or remote takeover.

Executive priority

Treat as a kernel reliability risk requiring normal patch governance. Escalate priority for multi-tenant Linux hosts, container platforms, or systems where local users are untrusted.

Technical view

In unix_diag_get_exact(), a newly allocated skb lacks sk. sk_diag_fill then reaches sk_user_ns() and dereferences NULL. The resolved fix gets the user namespace from NETLINK_CB(in_skb).sk and passes it into sk_diag_fill().

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel builds listed in the CVE bundle. The evidence points to local kernel diagnostic functionality, but the bundle does not define prerequisite privileges, namespaces, container impact, or remote reachability.

Exploitation context

The report includes a syz-executor crash trace and kernel fix references. KEV is false, and the provided sources do not state active exploitation, public weaponization, or observed attacks.

Researcher notes

The source bundle does not include CVSS, CWE, or full version range semantics. Analysis should stay anchored to the NULL dereference and listed kernel stable commits, avoiding claims of privilege escalation or remote exploitation.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, appliances, and container hosts.
  • Prioritize systems matching affected kernel entries in the CVE bundle.
  • Update to a vendor or stable kernel build containing the referenced fixes.
  • Check distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
  • Apply normal reboot or live-patching procedures after kernel update.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm each host kernel version against vendor fixed-version guidance.
  • Verify the applied kernel includes one of the referenced stable fixes.
  • Review crash logs for kernel NULL dereference traces in unix_diag or sk_user_ns.
  • Check whether exposed workloads rely on AF_UNIX diagnostic access.
  • Document exceptions where vendor guidance is unavailable or unsupported.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
7

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

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CVE-2022-48970 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
6Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxcae9910e73446cac68a54e3a7b02aaa12b689026, cae9910e73446cac68a54e3a7b02aaa12b689026, cae9910e73446cac68a54e3a7b02aaa12b689026, cae9910e73446cac68a54e3a7b02aaa12b689026, cae9910e73446cac68a54e3a7b02aaa12b689026unaffected
LinuxLinux5.3, 0, 5.4.227, 5.10.159, 5.15.83, 6.0.13, 6.1affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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