CVE-2022-49901

Local denial of service via blk-mq memory leak

Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Missing memory release in blk-mq in Linux kernel 5.2 through 6.0.7 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by loading null_blk. When blk_mq_alloc_and_init_hctx fails after creating a hardware context, blk_mq_init_allocated_queue clears q->mq_ops before queue release, so blk_mq_release skips contexts moved to q->unused_hctx_list. The path requires local module loading and a later hardware-context allocation failure; repeated triggers consume kernel memory and interrupt service.

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

What happened

Missing memory release in blk-mq in Linux kernel 5.2 through 6.0.7 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory by loading null_blk. When blk_mq_alloc_and_init_hctx fails after creating a hardware context, blk_mq_init_allocated_queue clears q->mq_ops before queue release, so blk_mq_release skips contexts moved to q->unused_hctx_list. The path requires local module loading and a later hardware-context allocation failure; repeated triggers consume kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49901
Published
May 1, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
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=2f8f1336a48bd5186de3476da0a3e2ec06d0533a <2dc97e15a54b7bdf457848aa8c663c98a24e58a6
  2. Affected versionversion=2f8f1336a48bd5186de3476da0a3e2ec06d0533a <943f45b9399ed8b2b5190cbc797995edaa97f58f
  3. Affected versionversion=5.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2f8f1336a48bd5186de3476da0a3e2ec06d0533a <2dc97e15a54b7bdf457848aa8c663c98a24e58a6; version=2f8f1336a48bd5186de3476da0a3e2ec06d0533a <943f45b9399ed8b2b5190cbc797995edaa97f58f; version=5.2

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISACVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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