CVE-2022-36879

Local system crash via double policy release

Published Jul 27, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025

A reference-counting error in Linux kernel 5.18.14 and earlier allows local users to crash the system through XFRM policy handling. When xfrm_expand_policies returns an error after releasing pols[0], xfrm_bundle_lookup retains num_pols as 1 and releases the same policy again. Low-privileged local access is required, and the reported consequence is a system crash rather than data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A reference-counting error in Linux kernel 5.18.14 and earlier allows local users to crash the system through XFRM policy handling. When xfrm_expand_policies returns an error after releasing pols[0], xfrm_bundle_lookup retains num_pols as 1 and releases the same policy again. Low-privileged local access is required, and the reported consequence is a system crash rather than data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-36879
Published
Jul 27, 2022
Updated
May 5, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 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?

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

5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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.

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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

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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