CVE-2022-3521

Local kernel crash via KCM socket race

Published Oct 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025

Race condition in Linux Kernel before 5.19 allows local users to crash the kernel via concurrent release of KCM sockets. The kcm_tx_work worker can access sk_socket after kcm_release concurrently orphaned the socket, producing a NULL-pointer dereference. Reaching the fault requires local access to create and release KCM sockets; the documented consequence is kernel service interruption, not data disclosure or code execution.

CVSS severity2.5
Low
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in Linux Kernel before 5.19 allows local users to crash the kernel via concurrent release of KCM sockets. The kcm_tx_work worker can access sk_socket after kcm_release concurrently orphaned the socket, producing a NULL-pointer dereference. Reaching the fault requires local access to create and release KCM sockets; the documented consequence is kernel service interruption, not data disclosure or code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3521
Published
Oct 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-362, T1499.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 15, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

2.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1499.001Endpoint Denial of Service: OS Exhaustion Flood

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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