CVE-2022-49926

Service interruption via leaked PHY allocations

Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leakage in the Linux kernel DSA loop driver allows local users to interrupt service during module initialization. The dsa_loop_init() error path returns after mdio_driver_register() fails without releasing PHY devices, while fixed_phy_unregister() removes but does not free each allocation. Repeated initialization failures can consume kernel memory; exploitation requires low-privileged local access and the DSA loop driver.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
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 kernel DSA loop driver allows local users to interrupt service during module initialization. The dsa_loop_init() error path returns after mdio_driver_register() fails without releasing PHY devices, while fixed_phy_unregister() removes but does not free each allocation. Repeated initialization failures can consume kernel memory; exploitation requires low-privileged local access and the DSA loop driver.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49926
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=4.12
  2. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <37a098fc9b42bd7fce66764866aa514639667b6e
  3. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <4d2024b138d9f7b02ae13ee997fd3a71e9e46254
  4. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <633efc8b3dc96f56f5a57f2a49764853a2fa3f50
  5. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <935b4beb724946a37cebf97191592d4879d3a3a3
  6. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <9f555b1584fc2d5d16ee3c4d9438e93ac7c502c7
  7. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <bbc5d7b46a729bfcbb5544f6612b7a67dd4f4d6f
  8. Affected versionversion=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <d593e1ede655b74c42e4e4fe285ea64aee96fb5c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.12; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <37a098fc9b42bd7fce66764866aa514639667b6e; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <4d2024b138d9f7b02ae13ee997fd3a71e9e46254; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <633efc8b3dc96f56f5a57f2a49764853a2fa3f50; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <935b4beb724946a37cebf97191592d4879d3a3a3; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <9f555b1584fc2d5d16ee3c4d9438e93ac7c502c7; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <bbc5d7b46a729bfcbb5544f6612b7a67dd4f4d6f; version=98cd1552ea27e512c7e99e2aa76042a26e4fb25c <d593e1ede655b74c42e4e4fe285ea64aee96fb5c

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISACVSS: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

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
T1499.004Application 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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