CVE-2022-49651

Local privilege escalation via SRCU cleanup race

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in SRCU cleanup in affected Linux kernels allows local users to gain kernel privileges by triggering a grace-period race. cleanup_srcu_struct() frees per-CPU SRCU data after checking only for a grace period already in progress, while a required grace period can still begin and access that memory. Reaching the race requires elevated local access such as non-default KVM group membership; successful exploitation grants kernel control, while an unsuccessful attempt can panic the host.

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

Use-after-free in SRCU cleanup in affected Linux kernels allows local users to gain kernel privileges by triggering a grace-period race. cleanup_srcu_struct() frees per-CPU SRCU data after checking only for a grace period already in progress, while a required grace period can still begin and access that memory. Reaching the race requires elevated local access such as non-default KVM group membership; successful exploitation grants kernel control, while an unsuccessful attempt can panic the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49651
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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=4.12
  2. Affected versionversion=da915ad5cf25b5f5d358dd3670c3378d8ae8c03e <8ed00760203d8018bee042fbfe8e076579be2c2b
  3. Affected versionversion=da915ad5cf25b5f5d358dd3670c3378d8ae8c03e <e997dda6502eefbc1032d6b0da7b353c53344b07

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.12; version=da915ad5cf25b5f5d358dd3670c3378d8ae8c03e <8ed00760203d8018bee042fbfe8e076579be2c2b; version=da915ad5cf25b5f5d358dd3670c3378d8ae8c03e <e997dda6502eefbc1032d6b0da7b353c53344b07

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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1068Exploitation for of Vulnerability

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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