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CVE Record

CVE-2022-50862: bpf: prevent decl_tag from being referenced in func_proto

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: prevent decl_tag from being referenced in func_proto Syzkaller was able to hit the following issue: ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 3609 at kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 btf_type_id_size+0x2d5/0x9d0 kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 3609 Comm: syz-executor361 Not tainted 6.0.0-syzkaller-02734-g0326074ff465 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/22/2022 RIP: 0010:btf_type_id_size+0x2d5/0x9d0 kernel/bpf/btf.c:1946 Code: ef e8 7f 8e e4 ff 41 83 ff 0b 77 28 f6 44 24 10 18 75 3f e8 6d 91 e4 ff 44 89 fe bf 0e 00 00 00 e8 20 8e e4 ff e8 5b 91 e4 ff <0f> 0b 45 31 f6 e9 98 02 00 00 41 83 ff 12 74 18 e8 46 91 e4 ff 44 RSP: 0018:ffffc90003cefb40 EFLAGS: 00010293 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: ffff8880259c0000 RSI: ffffffff81968415 RDI: 0000000000000005 RBP: ffff88801270ca00 R08: 0000000000000005 R09: 000000000000000e R10: 0000000000000011 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 0000000000000011 R14: ffff888026ee6424 R15: 0000000000000011 FS: 000055555641b300(0000) GS:ffff8880b9a00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000000f2e258 CR3: 000000007110e000 CR4: 00000000003506f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> btf_func_proto_check kernel/bpf/btf.c:4447 [inline] btf_check_all_types kernel/bpf/btf.c:4723 [inline] btf_parse_type_sec kernel/bpf/btf.c:4752 [inline] btf_parse kernel/bpf/btf.c:5026 [inline] btf_new_fd+0x1926/0x1e70 kernel/bpf/btf.c:6892 bpf_btf_load kernel/bpf/syscall.c:4324 [inline] __sys_bpf+0xb7d/0x4cf0 kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5010 __do_sys_bpf kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5069 [inline] __se_sys_bpf kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5067 [inline] __x64_sys_bpf+0x75/0xb0 kernel/bpf/syscall.c:5067 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x35/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd RIP: 0033:0x7f0fbae41c69 Code: 28 c3 e8 2a 14 00 00 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 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 c0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007ffc8aeb6228 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000141 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007f0fbae41c69 RDX: 0000000000000020 RSI: 0000000020000140 RDI: 0000000000000012 RBP: 00007f0fbae05e10 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 00000000ffffffff R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007f0fbae05ea0 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000 </TASK> Looks like it tries to create a func_proto which return type is decl_tag. For the details, see Martin's spot on analysis in [0]. 0: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/CAKH8qBuQDLva_hHxxBuZzyAcYNO4ejhovz6TQeVSk8HY-2SO6g@mail.gmail.com/T/#mea6524b3fcd6298347432226e81b1e6155efc62c

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-50862 is a Linux kernel BPF/BTF validation flaw. A malformed BTF type relationship could trigger a kernel warning during BPF loading. Public sources do not state data theft, privilege escalation, remote exploitation, or active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as a kernel maintenance priority for systems allowing BPF use. Urgency is lower than known-exploited bugs, but patch during the next controlled kernel update cycle once vendor packages are available.

Technical view

The bug allowed a BTF decl_tag to be referenced from a func_proto return type. Syzkaller reached a WARN path in kernel/bpf/btf.c via BPF_BTF_LOAD. The kernel fix prevents decl_tag use in func_proto validation.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions listed in the CVE data, including 5.16-era kernels and versions fixed by the referenced stable commits. Confirm distro backports rather than relying only on upstream version numbers.

Exploitation context

The source shows local BPF syscall activity triggering the issue. It was found by Syzkaller. KEV is false, and the provided sources do not report active exploitation or clarify required privileges.

Researcher notes

The public record lacks CVSS, CWE, and explicit impact beyond a kernel WARN. Avoid assuming privilege escalation or denial of service without further vendor analysis. Focus validation on affected kernel lineage and fix inclusion.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor kernel updates that include the referenced upstream stable fixes.
  • Map your distribution kernel package to the upstream fixed commits.
  • If updates are unavailable, check vendor guidance for supported mitigations.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, containers hosts, and appliances.
  • Check whether installed kernels include commits e9dbb4c539d0 or ea68376c8bed.
  • Review vendor advisories for backported fixes under different package versions.
  • Look for kernel warnings in BPF/BTF paths as supporting evidence only.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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-2022-50862 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
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxbd16dee66ae4de3f1726c69ac901d2b7a53b0c86, bd16dee66ae4de3f1726c69ac901d2b7a53b0c86unaffected
LinuxLinux5.16, 0, 6.0.7, 6.1affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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