CVE-2022-32250Public exploit

Root escalation via dangling nftables set binding

Published Jun 2, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.18.1 and earlier allows local users to escalate privileges to root through crafted nftables set expressions. When NFT_MSG_NEWSET supplies a non-stateful lookup or dynset subexpression, nf_tables destroys the expression without first removing its set-binding list entry. A local user who can create user and network namespaces can later reuse the dangling binding to write into freed kernel slab memory and gain root access.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.91%
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 Linux kernel 5.18.1 and earlier allows local users to escalate privileges to root through crafted nftables set expressions. When NFT_MSG_NEWSET supplies a non-stateful lookup or dynset subexpression, nf_tables destroys the expression without first removing its set-binding list entry. A local user who can create user and network namespaces can later reuse the dangling binding to write into freed kernel slab memory and gain root access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-32250
Published
Jun 2, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 2, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
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 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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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