CVE-2022-3646

Denial of service via failed log-writer cleanup

Published Oct 21, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025

Memory leak in the Linux kernel NILFS2 filesystem allows local users to exhaust memory by forcing log-writer thread creation to fail. nilfs_attach_log_writer frees ns_writer directly after nilfs_segctor_start_thread fails instead of invoking nilfs_detach_log_writer, leaking a nilfs_root, metadata inode, and kobject. The trigger requires local access capable of reaching the NILFS2 mount path and forcing thread creation failure; with panic_on_warn enabled, later module removal causes a kernel panic.

CVSS severity4.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel NILFS2 filesystem allows local users to exhaust memory by forcing log-writer thread creation to fail. nilfs_attach_log_writer frees ns_writer directly after nilfs_segctor_start_thread fails instead of invoking nilfs_detach_log_writer, leaking a nilfs_root, metadata inode, and kobject. The trigger requires local access capable of reaching the NILFS2 mount path and forcing thread creation failure; with panic_on_warn enabled, later module removal causes a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3646
Published
Oct 21, 2022
Updated
Apr 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, CWE-404, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 21, 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

3.1Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
4.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
2.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
3.1VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
CWE-404Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
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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