CVE-2022-49191

Local kernel memory exhaustion via mxser activation leak

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel mxser driver in affected releases allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through device activation. When mxser_activate reads an LSR value of 0xff, its error path returns after allocating xmit_buf, while shutdown is not invoked to release that buffer. Reaching the condition requires local low-privileged access and an mxser device reporting that status; repeated failures can interrupt system availability.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
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 mxser driver in affected releases allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through device activation. When mxser_activate reads an LSR value of 0xff, its error path returns after allocating xmit_buf, while shutdown is not invoked to release that buffer. Reaching the condition requires local low-privileged access and an mxser device reporting that status; repeated failures can interrupt system availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49191
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=2.6.33
  2. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <125b7c929fc9b1e5eaa344bceb6367dfa6fd3f9d
  3. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <2cd05c38a27bee7fb42aa4d43174d68ac55dac0f
  4. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <376922045009f8ea2d20a8fa3475e95b47c41690
  5. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <685b6d16bf89595310b5d61394c9b97cc9505c7c
  6. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <6c9041b2f90c0eace73106f22350e1d2c98f5edc
  7. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <6dffc2035fbaada60ca8db59e0962e34f760370a
  8. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <996291d06851a26678a0fab488b6e1f0677c0576
  9. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <b125b08dbee3611f03f53b71471813ed4ccafcdd
  10. Affected versionversion=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <cd3a4907ee334b40d7aa880c7ab310b154fd5cd4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.33; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <125b7c929fc9b1e5eaa344bceb6367dfa6fd3f9d; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <2cd05c38a27bee7fb42aa4d43174d68ac55dac0f; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <376922045009f8ea2d20a8fa3475e95b47c41690; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <685b6d16bf89595310b5d61394c9b97cc9505c7c; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <6c9041b2f90c0eace73106f22350e1d2c98f5edc; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <6dffc2035fbaada60ca8db59e0962e34f760370a; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <996291d06851a26678a0fab488b6e1f0677c0576; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <b125b08dbee3611f03f53b71471813ed4ccafcdd; version=6769140d304731f0a3b177470a2adb4bacd9036b <cd3a4907ee334b40d7aa880c7ab310b154fd5cd4

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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