CVE-2022-49256

Service interruption via unreleased watch objects

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in Linux kernel watch_queue allows local users to exhaust memory by repeatedly creating and releasing key watches. The free_watch() cleanup path releases associated resources but omits kfree() for the watch object itself, leaving each allocation unreachable. Low-privileged local access is required; repeated triggers consume kernel memory and can 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 Linux kernel watch_queue allows local users to exhaust memory by repeatedly creating and releasing key watches. The free_watch() cleanup path releases associated resources but omits kfree() for the watch object itself, leaving each allocation unreachable. Low-privileged local access is required; repeated triggers consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49256
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, CWE-772
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 <31824613a42aacdcbeb325bf07a1c8247a11ebe2
  3. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <3d8dcf278b1ee1eff1e90be848fa2237db4c07a7
  4. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <7e8c9b0df07a77f0d072603b8ced2677e30e1893
  5. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <9d92be1a09fbb3dd65600dbfe7eedb40e7228e4b
  6. Affected versionversion=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <f69aecb49968e14196366bbe896eab0a904229f5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.8; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <31824613a42aacdcbeb325bf07a1c8247a11ebe2; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <3d8dcf278b1ee1eff1e90be848fa2237db4c07a7; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <7e8c9b0df07a77f0d072603b8ced2677e30e1893; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <9d92be1a09fbb3dd65600dbfe7eedb40e7228e4b; version=c73be61cede5882f9605a852414db559c0ebedfd <f69aecb49968e14196366bbe896eab0a904229f5

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.

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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
CWE-772Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime

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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