Kernel memory leak via NULL rethook handler
Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
Memory leakage in the Linux kernel 5.18 through 6.0.9 allows local users to consume kernel memory through a NULL rethook handler. rethook_alloc allocates rh before validating handler, then returns NULL without freeing rh when handler is NULL. NVD rates the path as local and low-privileged, but public sources do not identify the caller or establish that repeated leakage interrupts service.
Summary
What happened
Memory leakage in the Linux kernel 5.18 through 6.0.9 allows local users to consume kernel memory through a NULL rethook handler. rethook_alloc allocates rh before validating handler, then returns NULL without freeing rh when handler is NULL. NVD rates the path as local and low-privileged, but public sources do not identify the caller or establish that repeated leakage interrupts service.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-49795
- Published
- May 1, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-401
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=5.18
- Affected versionversion=54ecbe6f1ed5138c895bdff55608cf502755b20e <0a1ebe35cb3b7aa1f4b26b37e2a0b9ae68dc4ffb
- Affected versionversion=54ecbe6f1ed5138c895bdff55608cf502755b20e <cbc5d1f9a8cc40ba2bc6779b36d2ea1f65bc027c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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