CVE-2022-0168Public exploit

Privileged system crash via zero-length CIFS buffer

Published Aug 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 5.4 through 5.12 and 5.13-rc+HEAD allows local users with CAP_SYS_ADMIN to crash the system. smb2_ioctl_query_info accepts a zero output_buffer_length copied from userspace, after which memdup_user returns an invalid pointer that passes the error check and reaches an eight-byte copy. Exploitation requires a CIFS file and CAP_SYS_ADMIN; triggering the ioctl terminates the host rather than exposing or modifying data.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 5.4 through 5.12 and 5.13-rc+HEAD allows local users with CAP_SYS_ADMIN to crash the system. smb2_ioctl_query_info accepts a zero output_buffer_length copied from userspace, after which memdup_user returns an invalid pointer that passes the error check and reaches an eight-byte copy. Exploitation requires a CIFS file and CAP_SYS_ADMIN; triggering the ioctl terminates the host rather than exposing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-0168
Published
Aug 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 26, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Affects v5.4–5.12, v5.13-rc+HEAD

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=Affects v5.4–5.12, v5.13-rc+HEAD

Published CVSS scores

4.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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