CVE-2022-50291

Local availability loss via KCM data race

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

A data race in the Linux kernel KCM subsystem allows local users to cause loss of system availability through concurrent socket activity. The kcm_rfree function reads kcm->rx_psock without synchronization while unreserve_rx_kcm can concurrently replace that pointer with NULL, leaving the receive/free path with an inconsistent value. Low-privileged local access and use of the KCM socket path are required; public records do not specify whether availability loss manifests as a hang or crash.

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

What happened

A data race in the Linux kernel KCM subsystem allows local users to cause loss of system availability through concurrent socket activity. The kcm_rfree function reads kcm->rx_psock without synchronization while unreserve_rx_kcm can concurrently replace that pointer with NULL, leaving the receive/free path with an inconsistent value. Low-privileged local access and use of the KCM socket path are required; public records do not specify whether availability loss manifests as a hang or crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50291
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 2025Record 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=4.6
  2. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <12a0eb340c9a22e0f8c00d2c0c1a60695ead926a
  3. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <13dba69e18d04c8eec7596369f2a0596b0260275
  4. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <15e4dabda11b0fa31d510a915d1a580f47dfc92e
  5. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <1b8a5692ab25db4ef1c2cc8e5d21f7a65dc3d079
  6. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <342d918cf9a45df9cf11bbe7162b851adefd178f
  7. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <bf46af730e58d340f6f740bc69a07c5f6b85c655
  8. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <c325f92d8d9b223d5842609ca067e898e9d34566
  9. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <e94395e916b48a5b912a0a04570981b5b091acb0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.6; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <12a0eb340c9a22e0f8c00d2c0c1a60695ead926a; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <13dba69e18d04c8eec7596369f2a0596b0260275; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <15e4dabda11b0fa31d510a915d1a580f47dfc92e; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <1b8a5692ab25db4ef1c2cc8e5d21f7a65dc3d079; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <342d918cf9a45df9cf11bbe7162b851adefd178f; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <bf46af730e58d340f6f740bc69a07c5f6b85c655; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <c325f92d8d9b223d5842609ca067e898e9d34566; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <e94395e916b48a5b912a0a04570981b5b091acb0

Published CVSS scores

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 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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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