CVE-2022-49996

Service interruption via leaked btrfs path arguments

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026

A memory leak in btrfs in Linux 5.15.54 through 5.15.63 and 5.16 through 5.19.5 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. When btrfs_get_bdev_and_sb rejects an invalid path, btrfs_get_dev_args_from_path returns without freeing the allocated args->uuid and args->fsid buffers. A local user must reach the affected btrfs device-path operation; repeated failures consume memory and can interrupt service.

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

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

A memory leak in btrfs in Linux 5.15.54 through 5.15.63 and 5.16 through 5.19.5 allows local users to exhaust kernel memory. When btrfs_get_bdev_and_sb rejects an invalid path, btrfs_get_dev_args_from_path returns without freeing the allocated args->uuid and args->fsid buffers. A local user must reach the affected btrfs device-path operation; repeated failures consume memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49996
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=321a81835b4aed4f717f89921286f6544ffa8be9 <5f52402c77013e4a826394b807dd5ea4dc83bd72
  2. Affected versionversion=5.15.54 <5.15.64
  3. Affected versionversion=5.16
  4. Affected versionversion=faa775c41d655a4786e9d53cb075a77bb5a75f66 <4b124ad87244cd7f0883c5eaa38d2326b2154cad
  5. Affected versionversion=faa775c41d655a4786e9d53cb075a77bb5a75f66 <9ea0106a7a3d8116860712e3f17cd52ce99f6707

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=321a81835b4aed4f717f89921286f6544ffa8be9 <5f52402c77013e4a826394b807dd5ea4dc83bd72; version=5.15.54 <5.15.64; version=5.16; version=faa775c41d655a4786e9d53cb075a77bb5a75f66 <4b124ad87244cd7f0883c5eaa38d2326b2154cad; version=faa775c41d655a4786e9d53cb075a77bb5a75f66 <9ea0106a7a3d8116860712e3f17cd52ce99f6707

Published CVSS scores

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.

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-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service Application 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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo