CVE-2022-0171

Host crash via unflushed SEV guest memory

Published Aug 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper cache coherency handling in Linux kernel KVM before 5.18-rc4 allows local users to crash the host via an AMD SEV guest. When SEV guest memory is reclaimed or removed from KVM memory slots, the kernel fails to flush CPU caches across the noncoherent VM boundary, permitting silent data corruption. Exploitation requires low-privileged host access, KVM, and an AMD processor with SEV support; the bounded consequence is a host-kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper cache coherency handling in Linux kernel KVM before 5.18-rc4 allows local users to crash the host via an AMD SEV guest. When SEV guest memory is reclaimed or removed from KVM memory slots, the kernel fails to flush CPU caches across the noncoherent VM boundary, permitting silent data corruption. Exploitation requires low-privileged host access, KVM, and an AMD processor with SEV support; the bounded consequence is a host-kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-0171
Published
Aug 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-459, CWE-212, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=Fixed in kernel 5.18-rc4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=Fixed in kernel 5.18-rc4

Published CVSS scores

5.5Canonical Ubuntu Security TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-459Incomplete Cleanup
CWE-212Improper Removal of Sensitive Information Before Storage or Transfer
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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