CVE-2022-48691

Local memory exhaustion via orphaned netdev hooks

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Resource leak in nf_tables in the Linux kernel allows local users to consume kernel memory via malformed netdev chain creation requests. When the offload-flags check fails, the parsed hook list is not spliced back into the chain hook list, so nft_chain_release_hook cannot free its allocations. Triggering requires local access and permission to create nf_tables chains; repeated failures can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in nf_tables in the Linux kernel allows local users to consume kernel memory via malformed netdev chain creation requests. When the offload-flags check fails, the parsed hook list is not spliced back into the chain hook list, so nft_chain_release_hook cannot free its allocations. Triggering requires local access and permission to create nf_tables chains; repeated failures can exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48691
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record 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=5.5
  2. Affected versionversion=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <1ce55ec5cb7c573c983dffbe290b8d17caf1f157
  3. Affected versionversion=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <77972a36ecc4db7fc7c68f0e80714263c5f03f65
  4. Affected versionversion=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <910891a2a44cdc49efcc4fe7459c1085ba00d0f4
  5. Affected versionversion=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <94ed8eeb8d9aeb00e4f4e19b83a2e28b6442fbc5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.5; version=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <1ce55ec5cb7c573c983dffbe290b8d17caf1f157; version=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <77972a36ecc4db7fc7c68f0e80714263c5f03f65; version=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <910891a2a44cdc49efcc4fe7459c1085ba00d0f4; version=d54725cd11a57c30f650260cfb0a92c268bdc3e0 <94ed8eeb8d9aeb00e4f4e19b83a2e28b6442fbc5

Published CVSS scores

5.3OSVCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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.

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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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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