CVE-2022-49264
exec: Force single empty string when argv is empty
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exec: Force single empty string when argv is empty Quoting[1] Ariadne Conill: "In several other operating systems, it is a hard requirement that the second argument to execve(2) be the name of a program, thus prohibiting a scenario where argc < 1. POSIX 2017 also recommends this behaviour, but it is not an explicit requirement[2]: The argument arg0 should point to a filename string that is associated with the process being started by one of the exec functions. ... Interestingly, Michael Kerrisk opened an issue about this in 2008[3], but there was no consensus to support fixing this issue then. Hopefully now that CVE-2021-4034 shows practical exploitative use[4] of this bug in a shellcode, we can reconsider. This issue is being tracked in the KSPP issue tracker[5]." While the initial code searches[6][7] turned up what appeared to be mostly corner case tests, trying to that just reject argv == NULL (or an immediately terminated pointer list) quickly started tripping[8] existing userspace programs. The next best approach is forcing a single empty string into argv and adjusting argc to match. The number of programs depending on argc == 0 seems a smaller set than those calling execve with a NULL argv. Account for the additional stack space in bprm_stack_limits(). Inject an empty string when argc == 0 (and set argc = 1). Warn about the case so userspace has some notice about the change: process './argc0' launched './argc0' with NULL argv: empty string added Additionally WARN() and reject NULL argv usage for kernel threads. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/[email protected]/ [2] https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/functions/exec.html [3] https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=8408 [4] https://www.qualys.com/2022/01/25/cve-2021-4034/pwnkit.txt [5] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/176 [6] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execve%5C+*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C+*NULL&literal=0 [7] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execlp%3F%5Cs*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C%5Cs*NULL&literal=0 [8] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20220131144352.GE16385@xsang-OptiPlex-9020/
INFO
Published Date :
Feb. 26, 2025, 7:01 a.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 21, 2025, 11:50 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update the Linux kernel to the latest stable version.
- Recompile the kernel if you are using a custom kernel.
- Test applications that use execve with empty argv.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2022-49264.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2022-49264 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2022-49264
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2022-49264 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2022-49264 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
Initial Analysis by [email protected]
Oct. 21, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Added CWE CWE-476 Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.11 up to (excluding) 5.15.33 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.17 up to (excluding) 5.17.2 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.5 up to (excluding) 5.10.110 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.16 up to (excluding) 5.16.19 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 4.9.317 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 4.10 up to (excluding) 4.14.282 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 4.15 up to (excluding) 4.19.246 *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 4.20 up to (excluding) 5.4.197 Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1290eb4412aa0f0e9f3434b406dc8e255da85f9e Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fe82bfd9e4ce93399d815ca458b58505191c3e8 Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27a6f495b63a1804cc71be45911065db7757a98c Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/41f6ea5b9aaa28b740d47ffe995a5013211fdbb0 Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98e0c7c702894987732776736c99b85ade6fba45 Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8054d3fa5deb84b215d6be1b910a978f3cb840d Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b50fb8dbc8b81aaa126387de428f4c42a7c72a73 Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfbfff8ce5e3d674947581f1eb9af0a1b1807950 Types: Patch Added Reference Type kernel.org: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dcd46d897adb70d63e025f175a00a89797d31a43 Types: Patch -
New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Feb. 26, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: exec: Force single empty string when argv is empty Quoting[1] Ariadne Conill: "In several other operating systems, it is a hard requirement that the second argument to execve(2) be the name of a program, thus prohibiting a scenario where argc < 1. POSIX 2017 also recommends this behaviour, but it is not an explicit requirement[2]: The argument arg0 should point to a filename string that is associated with the process being started by one of the exec functions. ... Interestingly, Michael Kerrisk opened an issue about this in 2008[3], but there was no consensus to support fixing this issue then. Hopefully now that CVE-2021-4034 shows practical exploitative use[4] of this bug in a shellcode, we can reconsider. This issue is being tracked in the KSPP issue tracker[5]." While the initial code searches[6][7] turned up what appeared to be mostly corner case tests, trying to that just reject argv == NULL (or an immediately terminated pointer list) quickly started tripping[8] existing userspace programs. The next best approach is forcing a single empty string into argv and adjusting argc to match. The number of programs depending on argc == 0 seems a smaller set than those calling execve with a NULL argv. Account for the additional stack space in bprm_stack_limits(). Inject an empty string when argc == 0 (and set argc = 1). Warn about the case so userspace has some notice about the change: process './argc0' launched './argc0' with NULL argv: empty string added Additionally WARN() and reject NULL argv usage for kernel threads. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/[email protected]/ [2] https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/functions/exec.html [3] https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=8408 [4] https://www.qualys.com/2022/01/25/cve-2021-4034/pwnkit.txt [5] https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/176 [6] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execve%5C+*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C+*NULL&literal=0 [7] https://codesearch.debian.net/search?q=execlp%3F%5Cs*%5C%28%5B%5E%2C%5D%2B%2C%5Cs*NULL&literal=0 [8] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20220131144352.GE16385@xsang-OptiPlex-9020/ Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1290eb4412aa0f0e9f3434b406dc8e255da85f9e Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fe82bfd9e4ce93399d815ca458b58505191c3e8 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27a6f495b63a1804cc71be45911065db7757a98c Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/41f6ea5b9aaa28b740d47ffe995a5013211fdbb0 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98e0c7c702894987732776736c99b85ade6fba45 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8054d3fa5deb84b215d6be1b910a978f3cb840d Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b50fb8dbc8b81aaa126387de428f4c42a7c72a73 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfbfff8ce5e3d674947581f1eb9af0a1b1807950 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dcd46d897adb70d63e025f175a00a89797d31a43