CVE-2022-50726

Local privilege escalation via async cleanup race

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel mlx5 async command interface allows local users to gain kernel privileges by winning a cleanup race. mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx can return and permit mlx5_async_ctx to be freed before mlx5_cmd_exec_cb_handler calls wake_up on that object. Exploitation requires local access and an mlx5 path such as DEVX asynchronous commands or kTLS transmit offload; success permits kernel memory corruption or a crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel mlx5 async command interface allows local users to gain kernel privileges by winning a cleanup race. mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx can return and permit mlx5_async_ctx to be freed before mlx5_cmd_exec_cb_handler calls wake_up on that object. Exploitation requires local access and an mlx5 path such as DEVX asynchronous commands or kTLS transmit offload; success permits kernel memory corruption or a crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50726
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 24, 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=5.1
  2. Affected versionversion=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <0aa3ee1e4e5c9ed5dda11249450d609c3072c54e
  3. Affected versionversion=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <69dd3ad406c49aa69ce4852c15231ac56af8caf9
  4. Affected versionversion=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <ab3de780c176bb91995c6166a576b370d9726e17
  5. Affected versionversion=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <bacd22df95147ed673bec4692ab2d4d585935241
  6. Affected versionversion=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <bbcc06933f35651294ea1e963757502312c2171f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.1; version=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <0aa3ee1e4e5c9ed5dda11249450d609c3072c54e; version=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <69dd3ad406c49aa69ce4852c15231ac56af8caf9; version=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <ab3de780c176bb91995c6166a576b370d9726e17; version=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <bacd22df95147ed673bec4692ab2d4d585935241; version=e355477ed9e4f401e3931043df97325d38552d54 <bbcc06933f35651294ea1e963757502312c2171f

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel security teamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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