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CVE-2022-50553: tracing/hist: Fix out-of-bound write on 'action_data.var_ref_idx'

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing/hist: Fix out-of-bound write on 'action_data.var_ref_idx' When generate a synthetic event with many params and then create a trace action for it [1], kernel panic happened [2]. It is because that in trace_action_create() 'data->n_params' is up to SYNTH_FIELDS_MAX (current value is 64), and array 'data->var_ref_idx' keeps indices into array 'hist_data->var_refs' for each synthetic event param, but the length of 'data->var_ref_idx' is TRACING_MAP_VARS_MAX (current value is 16), so out-of-bound write happened when 'data->n_params' more than 16. In this case, 'data->match_data.event' is overwritten and eventually cause the panic. To solve the issue, adjust the length of 'data->var_ref_idx' to be SYNTH_FIELDS_MAX and add sanity checks to avoid out-of-bound write. [1] # cd /sys/kernel/tracing/ # echo "my_synth_event int v1; int v2; int v3; int v4; int v5; int v6;\ int v7; int v8; int v9; int v10; int v11; int v12; int v13; int v14;\ int v15; int v16; int v17; int v18; int v19; int v20; int v21; int v22;\ int v23; int v24; int v25; int v26; int v27; int v28; int v29; int v30;\ int v31; int v32; int v33; int v34; int v35; int v36; int v37; int v38;\ int v39; int v40; int v41; int v42; int v43; int v44; int v45; int v46;\ int v47; int v48; int v49; int v50; int v51; int v52; int v53; int v54;\ int v55; int v56; int v57; int v58; int v59; int v60; int v61; int v62;\ int v63" >> synthetic_events # echo 'hist:keys=pid:ts0=common_timestamp.usecs if comm=="bash"' >> \ events/sched/sched_waking/trigger # echo "hist:keys=next_pid:onmatch(sched.sched_waking).my_synth_event(\ pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,\ pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,\ pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,\ pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid,pid)" >> events/sched/sched_switch/trigger [2] BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffff91c900000000 PGD 61001067 P4D 61001067 PUD 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 2 PID: 322 Comm: bash Tainted: G W 6.1.0-rc8+ #229 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.15.0-0-g2dd4b9b3f840-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:strcmp+0xc/0x30 Code: 75 f7 31 d2 44 0f b6 04 16 44 88 04 11 48 83 c2 01 45 84 c0 75 ee c3 cc cc cc cc 0f 1f 00 31 c0 eb 08 48 83 c0 01 84 d2 74 13 <0f> b6 14 07 3a 14 06 74 ef 19 c0 83 c8 01 c3 cc cc cc cc 31 c3 RSP: 0018:ffff9b3b00f53c48 EFLAGS: 00000246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffffffba958a68 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000010 RSI: ffff91c943d33a90 RDI: ffff91c900000000 RBP: ffff91c900000000 R08: 00000018d604b529 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: ffff91c9483eddb1 R11: ffff91ca483eddab R12: ffff91c946171580 R13: ffff91c9479f0538 R14: ffff91c9457c2848 R15: ffff91c9479f0538 FS: 00007f1d1cfbe740(0000) GS:ffff91c9bdc80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: ffff91c900000000 CR3: 0000000006316000 CR4: 00000000000006e0 Call Trace: <TASK> __find_event_file+0x55/0x90 action_create+0x76c/0x1060 event_hist_trigger_parse+0x146d/0x2060 ? event_trigger_write+0x31/0xd0 trigger_process_regex+0xbb/0x110 event_trigger_write+0x6b/0xd0 vfs_write+0xc8/0x3e0 ? alloc_fd+0xc0/0x160 ? preempt_count_add+0x4d/0xa0 ? preempt_count_add+0x70/0xa0 ksys_write+0x5f/0xe0 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x7f1d1d0cf077 Code: 64 89 02 48 c7 c0 ff ff ff ff eb bb 0f 1f 80 00 00 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 64 8b 04 25 18 00 00 00 85 c0 75 10 b8 01 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 00 f0 ff ff 77 51 c3 48 83 ec 28 48 89 54 24 18 48 89 74 RSP: 002b:00007ffcebb0e568 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000001 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000143 RCX: 00007f1d1d0cf077 RDX: 0000000000000143 RSI: 00005639265aa7e0 RDI: 0000000000000001 RBP: 00005639265aa7e0 R08: 000000000000000a R09: 0000000000000142 R ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel flaw can crash a system when the tracing histogram feature handles a synthetic event with many parameters. The public record shows a kernel panic caused by an out-of-bounds write. Business impact is mainly local denial of service unless additional exploitability is later demonstrated.

Executive priority

Treat as a timely kernel maintenance item for systems that expose tracing controls. Prioritize shared servers, developer hosts, CI runners, and high-availability workloads where a local kernel panic would create business disruption.

Technical view

The bug is in tracing/hist trace action creation. data->n_params can reach SYNTH_FIELDS_MAX, while action_data.var_ref_idx was sized for TRACING_MAP_VARS_MAX, allowing writes past the array and corruption of adjacent action data. The fix expands the array and adds bounds checks.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems with affected kernel builds where a local user or process can write tracing configuration under /sys/kernel/tracing. The sources do not show remote exposure.

Exploitation context

The source bundle includes a reproducer that writes tracefs synthetic event and trigger definitions and causes a kernel panic. It does not show active exploitation, weaponized use, privilege escalation, or KEV listing.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports an out-of-bounds kernel write and panic in tracing/hist, but public scoring, CWE mapping, and exploitability details are incomplete in the supplied bundle. Avoid assuming remote attack paths or privilege escalation without additional vendor analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels to vendor builds containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Restrict tracefs and tracing trigger write access to trusted administrators only.
  • Review distribution advisories for exact fixed package versions.
  • Avoid enabling tracing access for untrusted users or workloads.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, endpoints, and appliances.
  • Check whether vendor kernels include the referenced stable commits.
  • Review tracefs permissions for /sys/kernel/tracing and related mount points.
  • Look for unexpected tracing trigger or synthetic event configuration changes.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

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

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CVE-2022-50553 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
0ADP providers
7Source links

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

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Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux38b67e60b6b582e81f9db1b2e7176cbbfbd3e574, d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff, d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff, d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff, d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff, d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff, c78a2baf5e1fe1b38121d6b54bab77ccb81a1a86unaffected
LinuxLinux5.6, 0, 5.4.229, 5.10.163, 5.15.87, 6.0.18, 6.1.4, 6.2affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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