CVE-2022-48764

Host memory exhaustion via leaked CPUID arrays

Published Jun 20, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

A memory leak in x86 KVM in Linux 5.16.3 through 5.16.4 allows local users to consume kernel memory through post-run CPUID ioctls. The KVM_SET_CPUID and KVM_SET_CPUID2 handlers duplicate a user-supplied kvm_cpuid_entry2 array but fail to free it after a successful call made after KVM_RUN. A KVM vCPU file descriptor and repeated post-run ioctl calls are required; accumulated allocations can deplete host kernel memory.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in x86 KVM in Linux 5.16.3 through 5.16.4 allows local users to consume kernel memory through post-run CPUID ioctls. The KVM_SET_CPUID and KVM_SET_CPUID2 handlers duplicate a user-supplied kvm_cpuid_entry2 array but fail to free it after a successful call made after KVM_RUN. A KVM vCPU file descriptor and repeated post-run ioctl calls are required; accumulated allocations can deplete host kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48764
Published
Jun 20, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 20, 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=24e7590c60aa9487b8e43583dc9885f62f8216c1 <b9ee734a14bb685b2088f2176d82b34cb4e30dbc
  2. Affected versionversion=5.16.3 <5.16.5
  3. Affected versionversion=c6617c61e8fe44b9e9fdfede921f61cac6b5149d <811f95ff95270e6048197821434d9301e3d7f07c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=24e7590c60aa9487b8e43583dc9885f62f8216c1 <b9ee734a14bb685b2088f2176d82b34cb4e30dbc; version=5.16.3 <5.16.5; version=c6617c61e8fe44b9e9fdfede921f61cac6b5149d <811f95ff95270e6048197821434d9301e3d7f07c

Published CVSS scores

5.3CISA-ADPCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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
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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