CVE-2022-42321

Xenstored crash via recursive subtree operations

Published Nov 1, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Uncontrolled recursion in Xen Xenstore in all Xen versions allows guest OS users to crash xenstored via deeply nested nodes. The C xenstored implementations recursively process operations such as subtree deletion without bounding nesting depth, exhausting the process stack. The guest must be able to create very deep Xenstore hierarchies; a crash blocks new guest creation and configuration changes, while oxenstored is unaffected.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled recursion in Xen Xenstore in all Xen versions allows guest OS users to crash xenstored via deeply nested nodes. The C xenstored implementations recursively process operations such as subtree deletion without bounding nesting depth, exhausting the process stack. The guest must be able to create very deep Xenstore hierarchies; a crash blocks new guest creation and configuration changes, while oxenstored is unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-42321
Published
Nov 1, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-674, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 1, 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

6.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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-674Uncontrolled Recursion
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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