CVE-2022-49290Public exploit

Kernel crash via double-freed mesh IE

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

A double free in mac80211 in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel during mesh rejoin. ieee80211_leave_mesh() frees sdata->u.mesh.ie, but copy_mesh_setup() later frees the same stale pointer when the interface rejoins a mesh. Triggering requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, Wi-Fi hardware, and an encrypted mesh workflow that preserves the IE pointer; the usual wpa_supplicant down/up cycle clears it and avoids the crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A double free in mac80211 in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash the kernel during mesh rejoin. ieee80211_leave_mesh() frees sdata->u.mesh.ie, but copy_mesh_setup() later frees the same stale pointer when the interface rejoins a mesh. Triggering requires CAP_NET_ADMIN, Wi-Fi hardware, and an encrypted mesh workflow that preserves the IE pointer; the usual wpa_supplicant down/up cycle clears it and avoids the crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49290
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-415, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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=12e9cb1e7c93413112260991d094cfda712fdc97
  2. Affected versionversion=3212d6248faf0efce6b7a718e198feecce0eea05 <615716af8644813355e014314a0bc1e961250f5a
  3. Affected versionversion=37bccfa89559a70c044b5ccde3c916a91388e14a <273ebddc5fda2967492cb0b6cdd7d81cfb821b76
  4. Affected versionversion=3f15e3e62c80e180282f0cbc5559264e11c328b7 <3bbd0000d012f92aec423b224784fbf0f7bf40f8
  5. Affected versionversion=4.14.192 <4.14.274
  6. Affected versionversion=4.19.137 <4.19.237
  7. Affected versionversion=4.4.233 <4.5
  8. Affected versionversion=4.9.233 <4.9.309
  9. Affected versionversion=4f3193e08602462a806e8f53212e79c60a6f7488
  10. Affected versionversion=5.4.56 <5.4.188
  11. Affected versionversion=5.7.13 <5.8
  12. Affected versionversion=5.8
  13. Affected versionversion=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <12e407a8ef17623823fd0c066fbd7f103953d28d
  14. Affected versionversion=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <46bb87d40683337757a2f902fcd4244b32bb4e86
  15. Affected versionversion=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <4a2d4496e15ea5bb5c8e83b94ca8ca7fb045e7d3
  16. Affected versionversion=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <582d8c60c0c053684f7138875e8150d5749ffc17
  17. Affected versionversion=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <5d3ff9542a40ce034416bca03864709540a36016
  18. Affected versionversion=86e7d4cd2ed5f4b0188afce8199faffcf1ae7c7e <c1d9c3628ef0a0ca197595d0f9e01cd3b5dda186

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=12e9cb1e7c93413112260991d094cfda712fdc97; version=3212d6248faf0efce6b7a718e198feecce0eea05 <615716af8644813355e014314a0bc1e961250f5a; version=37bccfa89559a70c044b5ccde3c916a91388e14a <273ebddc5fda2967492cb0b6cdd7d81cfb821b76; version=3f15e3e62c80e180282f0cbc5559264e11c328b7 <3bbd0000d012f92aec423b224784fbf0f7bf40f8; version=4.14.192 <4.14.274; version=4.19.137 <4.19.237; version=4.4.233 <4.5; version=4.9.233 <4.9.309; version=4f3193e08602462a806e8f53212e79c60a6f7488; version=5.4.56 <5.4.188; version=5.7.13 <5.8; version=5.8; version=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <12e407a8ef17623823fd0c066fbd7f103953d28d; version=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <46bb87d40683337757a2f902fcd4244b32bb4e86; version=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <4a2d4496e15ea5bb5c8e83b94ca8ca7fb045e7d3; version=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <582d8c60c0c053684f7138875e8150d5749ffc17; version=6a01afcf8468d3ca2bd8bbb27503f60dcf643b20 <5d3ff9542a40ce034416bca03864709540a36016; version=86e7d4cd2ed5f4b0188afce8199faffcf1ae7c7e <c1d9c3628ef0a0ca197595d0f9e01cd3b5dda186

Published CVSS scores

7.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-415Double Free
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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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