CVE-2022-3344

Host kernel crash via stale nested guest state

Published Oct 24, 2022 · Updated May 7, 2025

Use-after-free in KVM AMD nested virtualization in Linux Kernel 6.0.3 and earlier allows guest OS users to crash the host kernel. During kvm_vcpu_reset(), KVM clears guest-mode flags without leaving nested mode, frees vmcb02 with the nested state, and then continues using it. Exploitation requires control of an L1 guest on an AMD host with nested virtualization enabled and an L2 guest whose shutdown or reset is not intercepted; the bounded consequence is an L0 kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
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 KVM AMD nested virtualization in Linux Kernel 6.0.3 and earlier allows guest OS users to crash the host kernel. During kvm_vcpu_reset(), KVM clears guest-mode flags without leaving nested mode, frees vmcb02 with the nested state, and then continues using it. Exploitation requires control of an L1 guest on an AMD host with nested virtualization enabled and an L2 guest whose shutdown or reset is not intercepted; the bounded consequence is an L0 kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3344
Published
Oct 24, 2022
Updated
May 7, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-440, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 24, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 7, 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=Affected versions <= 6.0.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=Affected versions <= 6.0.3

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CISA-ADPCVSS: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-440Expected Behavior Violation
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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