CVE-2022-49153

Kernel memory exhaustion via unreleased handshake buffers

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A memory leak in Linux WireGuard socket code allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated handshake sends when IPv6 is disabled. The send6 fallback in drivers/net/wireguard/socket.c returns without calling kfree_skb on the socket buffer after a handshake send fails because IPv6 support is absent. The flaw is reachable only on kernels built without CONFIG_IPV6 and can steadily consume kernel memory; no data read or modification is reported.

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

A memory leak in Linux WireGuard socket code allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated handshake sends when IPv6 is disabled. The send6 fallback in drivers/net/wireguard/socket.c returns without calling kfree_skb on the socket buffer after a handshake send fails because IPv6 support is absent. The flaw is reachable only on kernels built without CONFIG_IPV6 and can steadily consume kernel memory; no data read or modification is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49153
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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=5.6
  2. Affected versionversion=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <096f9d35cac0a0c95ffafc00db84786b665a4837
  3. Affected versionversion=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <0b19bcb753dbfb74710d12bb2761ec5ed706c726
  4. Affected versionversion=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <402991a9771587acc2947cf6c4d689c5397f2258
  5. Affected versionversion=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <bbbf962d9460194993ee1943a793a0a0af4a7fbf
  6. Affected versionversion=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <ebcc492f4ba14bae54b898f1016a37b4282558d1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.6; version=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <096f9d35cac0a0c95ffafc00db84786b665a4837; version=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <0b19bcb753dbfb74710d12bb2761ec5ed706c726; version=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <402991a9771587acc2947cf6c4d689c5397f2258; version=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <bbbf962d9460194993ee1943a793a0a0af4a7fbf; version=e7096c131e5161fa3b8e52a650d7719d2857adfd <ebcc492f4ba14bae54b898f1016a37b4282558d1

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS: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.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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