CVE-2022-50646

Kernel memory leak via incomplete controller cleanup

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026

A memory leak in the hpsa SCSI driver in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to reduce availability during controller initialization. When alloc_percpu() fails in hpsa_init_one(), the clean1 path frees the controller structure directly but leaves its reply_map allocation unreleased. Reachability requires hpsa controller initialization while the per-CPU allocation fails; published evidence reports leaked kernel memory, not a demonstrated crash or privilege gain.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the hpsa SCSI driver in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to reduce availability during controller initialization. When alloc_percpu() fails in hpsa_init_one(), the clean1 path frees the controller structure directly but leaves its reply_map allocation unreleased. Reachability requires hpsa controller initialization while the per-CPU allocation fails; published evidence reports leaked kernel memory, not a demonstrated crash or privilege gain.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50646
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 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

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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=1edd825c11f8ed2c409d6fb6b3d90a042cbf738d
  2. Affected versionversion=4.14.63 <4.15
  3. Affected versionversion=4.16
  4. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <0aa7be66168b1e84b2581ffff3ccb54a6c804a1e
  5. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <9c9ff300e0de07475796495d86f449340d454a0c
  6. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <bfe10a1d9fbccdf39f8449d62509f070d8aaaac1
  7. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <c808edbf580bfc454671cbe66e9d7c2e938e7601
  8. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <f4d1c14e8b404766ff2bb8644bb19443d73965de
  9. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <f8fc2f18652917cdcc89cb23f3a1b7cb6e119c5e
  10. Affected versionversion=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <fc998d0a7d65672f0812f11cd0ec4bbe4f8f8507

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1edd825c11f8ed2c409d6fb6b3d90a042cbf738d; version=4.14.63 <4.15; version=4.16; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <0aa7be66168b1e84b2581ffff3ccb54a6c804a1e; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <9c9ff300e0de07475796495d86f449340d454a0c; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <bfe10a1d9fbccdf39f8449d62509f070d8aaaac1; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <c808edbf580bfc454671cbe66e9d7c2e938e7601; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <f4d1c14e8b404766ff2bb8644bb19443d73965de; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <f8fc2f18652917cdcc89cb23f3a1b7cb6e119c5e; version=8b834bff1b73dce46f4e9f5e84af6f73fed8b0ef <fc998d0a7d65672f0812f11cd0ec4bbe4f8f8507

Published CVSS scores

4.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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