CVE-2022-49049

CVE-2022-49049 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memfd_secret functionality. It allows a local attacker to trigger a kernel panic by attempting to grow an existing memfd_secret using ftruncate, leading to a denial of service. The vulnerability arises because the normal memory truncation process attempts to zero out pages via the direct map, which is explicitly disabled for memfd_secret pages. The vulnerability has a CVSSv3.1 score of 5.5 (MEDIUM), indicating a local attack vector with low attack complexity, requiring low privileges, and resulting in high availability impact (kernel panic). There is no confidentiality or integrity impact. There is currently no evidence of active exploitation, and no exploit code is publicly available on platforms like Metasploit, Nuclei, or ExploitDB. Community discussion and media coverage for this CVE are minimal, suggesting it has not garnered significant attention.