CVE-2022-49444 module: fix [e_shstrndx].sh_size=0 OOB access

High 7.1 Published 26 Feb 2025 Updated 23 May 2026

A crafted kernel module can trigger an out-of-bounds memory access, causing a system crash or denial of service.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2022-49444?

CVE-2022-49444 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 26 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

module: fix [e_shstrndx].sh_size=0 OOB access

It is trivial to craft a module to trigger OOB access in this line:

if (info->secstrings[strhdr->sh_size - 1] != '\0') {

BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffc90000aa0fff PGD 100000067 P4D 100000067 PUD 100066067 PMD 10436f067 PTE 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI CPU: 7 PID: 1215 Comm: insmod Not tainted 5.18.0-rc5-00007-g9bf578647087-dirty #10 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.14.0-4.fc34 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:load_module+0x19b/0x2391

[rebased patch onto modules-next]

Weakness: CWE-125

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49444?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2022-49444?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.

Is CVE-2022-49444 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49444 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49444, GHSA-vp6q-xgm8-4vhw, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2022-49444, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49444.