CVE-2022-50048

System crash via module reference underflow

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Denial of service in the Linux kernel nf_tables component allows local users to crash the system through a failed set-expression clone. In nft_set_elem_expr_clone(), an nft_expr_clone() failure leaves dst->ops set before the module reference is acquired, and nft_expr_destroy() then decrements the unheld reference. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a reachable clone-error path; the documented consequence is loss of system availability.

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

Denial of service in the Linux kernel nf_tables component allows local users to crash the system through a failed set-expression clone. In nft_set_elem_expr_clone(), an nft_expr_clone() failure leaves dst->ops set before the module reference is acquired, and nft_expr_destroy() then decrements the unheld reference. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a reachable clone-error path; the documented consequence is loss of system availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50048
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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=5.11
  2. Affected versionversion=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <1e52e6cfec6342c3d0df47dc3a76724fb3dabf56
  3. Affected versionversion=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <b59bee8b05b0e789b5a298cacb09e8aaa3367a29
  4. Affected versionversion=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <c485c35ff6783ccd12c160fcac6a0e504e83e0bf

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.11; version=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <1e52e6cfec6342c3d0df47dc3a76724fb3dabf56; version=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <b59bee8b05b0e789b5a298cacb09e8aaa3367a29; version=8cfd9b0f8515e7c361bba27e2a2684cbd427fe01 <c485c35ff6783ccd12c160fcac6a0e504e83e0bf

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.

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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

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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