CVE-2022-48781

System crash via AF_ALG memory accounting

Published Jul 16, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

A NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.16 through 5.16.10 allows local users to crash the system through an AF_ALG socket. The AF_ALG protocol sets memory_allocated without a matching sysctl_mem array, so SO_RESERVE_MEM makes sk_prot_mem_limits dereference a null pointer. A low-privileged local user who can create the socket and set that option can trigger a kernel fault and interrupt the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A NULL-pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.16 through 5.16.10 allows local users to crash the system through an AF_ALG socket. The AF_ALG protocol sets memory_allocated without a matching sysctl_mem array, so SO_RESERVE_MEM makes sk_prot_mem_limits dereference a null pointer. A low-privileged local user who can create the socket and set that option can trigger a kernel fault and interrupt the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-48781
Published
Jul 16, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 16, 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=2bb2f5fb21b0486ff69b7b4a1fe03a760527d133 <25206111512de994dfc914f5b2972a22aa904ef3
  2. Affected versionversion=2bb2f5fb21b0486ff69b7b4a1fe03a760527d133 <9d06f489b9e901580159e21fdc29f73df7ed08dc
  3. Affected versionversion=5.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2bb2f5fb21b0486ff69b7b4a1fe03a760527d133 <25206111512de994dfc914f5b2972a22aa904ef3; version=2bb2f5fb21b0486ff69b7b4a1fe03a760527d133 <9d06f489b9e901580159e21fdc29f73df7ed08dc; version=5.16

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5SUSECVSS: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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application 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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