CVE-2022-49148

Service interruption via leaked watch-queue page array

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel watch-queue subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through queue allocation and teardown. The watch_queue_set_size path allocates the wqueue->notes page-pointer array, but __put_watch_queue frees its pages and bitmap without freeing that array. Low-privileged local access is required; repeated queue creation and destruction can exhaust memory and interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel watch-queue subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through queue allocation and teardown. The watch_queue_set_size path allocates the wqueue->notes page-pointer array, but __put_watch_queue frees its pages and bitmap without freeing that array. Low-privileged local access is required; repeated queue creation and destruction can exhaust memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49148
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2025CVE 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=5.8
  2. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <375cd2536494cfbcdda84ae8b3e35bf19d0250b9
  3. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <3963a5d1ff75585bddf0c3a918566a6be09d7520
  4. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <4913daecd04addb41bc96a9175a885e1c19862a8
  5. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <7169f60110915c8b53bffd43741fa020a75eb87a
  6. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <b490207017ba237d97b735b2aa66dc241ccd18f5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.8; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <375cd2536494cfbcdda84ae8b3e35bf19d0250b9; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <3963a5d1ff75585bddf0c3a918566a6be09d7520; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <4913daecd04addb41bc96a9175a885e1c19862a8; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <7169f60110915c8b53bffd43741fa020a75eb87a; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <b490207017ba237d97b735b2aa66dc241ccd18f5

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS: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 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
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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