CVE-2022-38457

Local system crash via unreferenced resource lookup

Published Sep 9, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel vmwgfx driver allows local users to crash the system through a crafted DRM ioctl. The vmw_cmd_res_check function uses a non-reference-counted resource lookup, then retains and validates the returned object after its lifetime can end. Exploitation requires access to a vmwgfx DRM device node and permission to issue ioctls; successful triggering interrupts the entire system rather than exposing or modifying data.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.56%
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 the Linux Kernel vmwgfx driver allows local users to crash the system through a crafted DRM ioctl. The vmw_cmd_res_check function uses a non-reference-counted resource lookup, then retains and validates the returned object after its lifetime can end. Exploitation requires access to a vmwgfx DRM device node and permission to issue ioctls; successful triggering interrupts the entire system rather than exposing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38457
Published
Sep 9, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 9, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=v4.20-rc1 <5.13.0-52*

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=v4.20-rc1 <5.13.0-52*

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS:3.0/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

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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