CVE-2022-50159

Kernel panic via unchecked IMA buffer bounds

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Out-of-bounds memory access in the IMA kexec restore path allows local users to panic affected Linux kernels during a kexec boot. ima_get_kexec_buffer converts an inherited physical buffer address without first verifying that its start and end page frames remain addressable. Triggering the fault requires privileged control of a kexec boot, an inherited IMA buffer above the new mem= limit, and a platform using this Open Firmware path; the consequence is a boot-time kernel panic.

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

Out-of-bounds memory access in the IMA kexec restore path allows local users to panic affected Linux kernels during a kexec boot. ima_get_kexec_buffer converts an inherited physical buffer address without first verifying that its start and end page frames remain addressable. Triggering the fault requires privileged control of a kexec boot, an inherited IMA buffer above the new mem= limit, and a platform using this Open Firmware path; the consequence is a boot-time kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50159
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1529
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 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

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=4.10
  2. Affected versionversion=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <1b2263d6c86fca8f30e18231778393bfc287bb27
  3. Affected versionversion=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <beb5bba5dd132650c073f815c685c60c3e5b783b
  4. Affected versionversion=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <cbf9c4b9617b6767886a913705ca14b7600c77db
  5. Affected versionversion=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <dc3b8525f83ac6bbc885bb24bbb8a76f4622200e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.10; version=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <1b2263d6c86fca8f30e18231778393bfc287bb27; version=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <beb5bba5dd132650c073f815c685c60c3e5b783b; version=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <cbf9c4b9617b6767886a913705ca14b7600c77db; version=467d27824920e866af148132f555d40ca1fb199e <dc3b8525f83ac6bbc885bb24bbb8a76f4622200e

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS: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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1529System Shutdown/Reboot

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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