CVE-2022-48650

What it actually does

The vulnerability causes a memory leak in the __qlt_24xx_handle_abts function when tcm_qla2xxx_find_cmd_by_tag fails to find a command, as the allocated management command structure is not freed before the early return.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using affected QLogic Fibre Channel HBAs may experience gradual kernel memory depletion leading to performance degradation or system instability over prolonged operation.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with the ability to trigger abort task set commands on a system with QLogic adapters can cause repeated allocation without deallocation, leading to memory exhaustion.

How to fix it

Apply the kernel patch from commit 89df49e561b4a8948521fc3f8a013012eaa08f82 or update to a Linux kernel version containing this fix.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of the fix commit in the kernel source or check for updated kernel packages that include the resolution for this memory leak.

Typical attack path

1. Identify system with QLogic qla2xxx driver
2. Send targeted abort commands to trigger the handle_abts path
3. Repeat to accumulate leaked memory

How to detect it

Monitor system logs for repeated calls to qlt_24xx_handle_abts and check for memory allocation patterns without corresponding frees using kernel debugging tools.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on systems with QLogic adapters
• Monitor kernel memory usage for unexpected increases
• Test patches in staging environments before production deployment