CVE-2022-49853

Kernel memory exhaustion via unfreed macvlan source entries

Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leakage in the Linux macvlan subsystem allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through failed source-mode link creation. In macvlan_common_newlink, macvlan_changelink_sources allocates remote-source address entries before register_netdevice, but an error return leaves those entries unfreed. Reachability requires local access and permission to create source-mode macvlan links; repeated failures can interrupt service by depleting kernel memory.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leakage in the Linux macvlan subsystem allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through failed source-mode link creation. In macvlan_common_newlink, macvlan_changelink_sources allocates remote-source address entries before register_netdevice, but an error return leaves those entries unfreed. Reachability requires local access and permission to create source-mode macvlan links; repeated failures can interrupt service by depleting kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49853
Published
May 1, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 1, 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=4.9
  2. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <21d3a8b6a1e39e7529ce9de07316ee13a63f305b
  3. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <23569b5652ee8e8e55a12f7835f59af6f3cefc30
  4. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <685e73e3f7a9fb75cbf049a9d0b7c45cc6b57b2e
  5. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <956e0216a19994443c90ba2ea6b0b284c9c4f9cb
  6. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <9ea003c4671b2fc455320ecf6d4a43b0a3c1878a
  7. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <9f288e338be206713d79b29144c27fca4503c39b
  8. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <a81b44d1df1f07f00c0dcc0a0b3d2fa24a46289e
  9. Affected versionversion=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <a8d67367ab33604326cc37ab44fd1801bf5691ba

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.9; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <21d3a8b6a1e39e7529ce9de07316ee13a63f305b; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <23569b5652ee8e8e55a12f7835f59af6f3cefc30; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <685e73e3f7a9fb75cbf049a9d0b7c45cc6b57b2e; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <956e0216a19994443c90ba2ea6b0b284c9c4f9cb; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <9ea003c4671b2fc455320ecf6d4a43b0a3c1878a; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <9f288e338be206713d79b29144c27fca4503c39b; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <a81b44d1df1f07f00c0dcc0a0b3d2fa24a46289e; version=aa5fd0fb77486b8a6764ead8627baa14790e4280 <a8d67367ab33604326cc37ab44fd1801bf5691ba

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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 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
T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

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