CVE-2022-48768

Local denial of service via histogram memory leak

Published Jun 20, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

A memory leak in Linux kernel tracing histograms allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through malformed histogram parameters. In kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c, an error path returns without freeing the buffer allocated by kstrdup() for a histogram parameter. A local low-privileged user must reach the tracing histogram parameter path; repeated failures consume kernel memory until service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
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 Linux kernel tracing histograms allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through malformed histogram parameters. In kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c, an error path returns without freeing the buffer allocated by kstrdup() for a histogram parameter. A local low-privileged user must reach the tracing histogram parameter path; repeated failures consume kernel memory until service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48768
Published
Jun 20, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 20, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 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=38b67e60b6b582e81f9db1b2e7176cbbfbd3e574 <8a8878ebb596281f50fc0b9a6e1f23f0d7f154e8
  2. Affected versionversion=5.4.19 <5.4.176
  3. Affected versionversion=5.5.6 <5.6
  4. Affected versionversion=5.6
  5. Affected versionversion=c78a2baf5e1fe1b38121d6b54bab77ccb81a1a86
  6. Affected versionversion=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <d71b06aa995007eafd247626d0669b9364c42ad7
  7. Affected versionversion=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <df86e2fe808c3536a9dba353cc2bebdfea00d0cf
  8. Affected versionversion=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <e33fa4a46ee22de88a700e2e3d033da8214a5175
  9. Affected versionversion=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <e629e7b525a179e29d53463d992bdee759c950fb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=38b67e60b6b582e81f9db1b2e7176cbbfbd3e574 <8a8878ebb596281f50fc0b9a6e1f23f0d7f154e8; version=5.4.19 <5.4.176; version=5.5.6 <5.6; version=5.6; version=c78a2baf5e1fe1b38121d6b54bab77ccb81a1a86; version=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <d71b06aa995007eafd247626d0669b9364c42ad7; version=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <df86e2fe808c3536a9dba353cc2bebdfea00d0cf; version=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <e33fa4a46ee22de88a700e2e3d033da8214a5175; version=d380dcde9a07ca5de4805dee11f58a98ec0ad6ff <e629e7b525a179e29d53463d992bdee759c950fb

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS: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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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