CVE-2022-2938

Local system crash via freed PSI trigger

Published Aug 23, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in Linux Kernel before 5.17 allows local users to crash the system by polling a Pressure Stall Information trigger. psi_trigger_poll retains a wait-queue reference after psi_trigger_destroy frees the trigger while poll() is waiting, causing stale kernel-memory access. A local account must register a PSI trigger, and PSI must be enabled; exploitation can crash the host or corrupt kernel memory.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.28%
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 Linux Kernel before 5.17 allows local users to crash the system by polling a Pressure Stall Information trigger. psi_trigger_poll retains a wait-queue reference after psi_trigger_destroy frees the trigger while poll() is waiting, causing stale kernel-memory access. A local account must register a PSI trigger, and PSI must be enabled; exploitation can crash the host or corrupt kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2938
Published
Aug 23, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 23, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=kernel 5.17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=kernel 5.17

Published CVSS scores

7.8Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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