CVE-2022-36123

Guest crash or privilege escalation via uncleared .bss

Published Jul 29, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper memory initialization in the Linux kernel before 5.18.13 allows local users in Xen PV guests to crash the guest or gain privileges. The startup_xen path's assembly clearing does not reliably zero the full .bss region; the corrected path invokes clear_bss() during C startup. Exploitation requires execution inside a Xen PV guest and can trigger an early page fault or kernel oops, while corrupted static state can enable privilege escalation.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.89%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper memory initialization in the Linux kernel before 5.18.13 allows local users in Xen PV guests to crash the guest or gain privileges. The startup_xen path's assembly clearing does not reliably zero the full .bss region; the corrected path invokes clear_bss() during C startup. Exploitation requires execution inside a Xen PV guest and can trigger an early page fault or kernel oops, while corrupted static state can enable privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-36123
Published
Jul 29, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 29, 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

7.0SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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 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

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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