CVE-2022-50201

Kernel memory exhaustion via failed SELinux policy reads

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel SELinux subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through failed policy reads. security_read_state_kernel returns an error from __security_read_policy without freeing the policy buffer stored in data. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and a failed policy read; published material does not specify whether exhaustion causes a hang, crash, or reboot.

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

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel SELinux subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through failed policy reads. security_read_state_kernel returns an error from __security_read_policy without freeing the policy buffer stored in data. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and a failed policy read; published material does not specify whether exhaustion causes a hang, crash, or reboot.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50201
Published
Jun 18, 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. 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=5.12
  2. Affected versionversion=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <1fc1f72aad2070d34022d0823e4cf09706b53f25
  3. Affected versionversion=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <73de1befcc53a7c68b0c5e76b9b5ac41c517760f
  4. Affected versionversion=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <c877c5217145bda8fd95f506bf42f8d981afa57d
  5. Affected versionversion=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <f3cd7562c0a6774fc62d79654482014020e574f5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.12; version=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <1fc1f72aad2070d34022d0823e4cf09706b53f25; version=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <73de1befcc53a7c68b0c5e76b9b5ac41c517760f; version=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <c877c5217145bda8fd95f506bf42f8d981afa57d; version=fdd1ffe8a812b1109388e4bc389e57b2695ad095 <f3cd7562c0a6774fc62d79654482014020e574f5

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 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
T1499.004Application 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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