CVE-2022-0185Known exploitationPublic exploit

Local privilege escalation via unsigned length underflow

Published Feb 11, 2022 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Heap-based buffer overflow in Linux kernel packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 and later allows local users to gain root privileges. legacy_parse_param checks len against an unsigned PAGE_SIZE - 2 - size expression; an oversized accumulated option length underflows the subtraction and permits a write past the heap buffer. Unprivileged access requires enabled unprivileged user namespaces and a filesystem that falls back to legacy parameter handling; otherwise namespaced CAP_SYS_ADMIN is required.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability25.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap-based buffer overflow in Linux kernel packages in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 and later allows local users to gain root privileges. legacy_parse_param checks len against an unsigned PAGE_SIZE - 2 - size expression; an oversized accumulated option length underflows the subtraction and permits a write past the heap buffer. Unprivileged access requires enabled unprivileged user namespaces and a filesystem that falls back to legacy parameter handling; otherwise namespaced CAP_SYS_ADMIN is required.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-0185
Published
Feb 11, 2022
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-190, CWE-191, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 21, 2024Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entry
  3. Oct 21, 2025Record 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=8.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=8.4

Published CVSS scores

7.8Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4CVE.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-190Integer Overflow or Wraparound
CWE-191Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound)
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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