CVE-2022-2738Network attack vector

Process crash via premature GPGME object finalization

Published Sep 1, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in Podman 1.6.4-32.el7_9 allows remote attackers to crash the process or execute code during GPG signature verification. The vendored Go GPGME wrapper fails to keep Go objects alive while C code uses their pointers, allowing garbage collection to release referenced memory before GPGME finishes. Exploitation requires Podman to pull and verify an attacker-controlled signed container image; the bounded outcomes are process failure or code execution in the Podman process.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.91%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Podman 1.6.4-32.el7_9 allows remote attackers to crash the process or execute code during GPG signature verification. The vendored Go GPGME wrapper fails to keep Go objects alive while C code uses their pointers, allowing garbage collection to release referenced memory before GPGME finishes. Exploitation requires Podman to pull and verify an attacker-controlled signed container image; the bounded outcomes are process failure or code execution in the Podman process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2738
Published
Sep 1, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
389 Directory Server
Product
Podman
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 1, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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=podman 1.6.4-32.el7_9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

389 Directory Server · Podmanversion=podman 1.6.4-32.el7_9

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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