CVE-2022-50765

Kernel memory leak via unreleased kexec ELF buffers

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Memory leak in RISC-V kexec in Linux 5.19 through 6.0.17 and 6.1 through 6.1.3 allows local users to consume kernel memory. elf_kexec_load allocates an ELF-header buffer with vzalloc, but cleanup omits vfree when a kdump image is unloaded, reloaded, or fails after image->elf_header is set. Reaching the leak requires CAP_SYS_BOOT and repeated kexec_file_load operations; each trigger strands a 4,096-byte kernel allocation, enabling resource exhaustion over time.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.23%
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 RISC-V kexec in Linux 5.19 through 6.0.17 and 6.1 through 6.1.3 allows local users to consume kernel memory. elf_kexec_load allocates an ELF-header buffer with vzalloc, but cleanup omits vfree when a kdump image is unloaded, reloaded, or fails after image->elf_header is set. Reaching the leak requires CAP_SYS_BOOT and repeated kexec_file_load operations; each trigger strands a 4,096-byte kernel allocation, enabling resource exhaustion over time.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50765
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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=5.19
  2. Affected versionversion=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <090bfcfc9f14d05154893c67eeaecc56e894fbae
  3. Affected versionversion=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <cbc32023ddbdf4baa3d9dc513a2184a84080a5a2
  4. Affected versionversion=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <cdea2da6787583ecca43594132533a2ac8d7cd21

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.19; version=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <090bfcfc9f14d05154893c67eeaecc56e894fbae; version=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <cbc32023ddbdf4baa3d9dc513a2184a84080a5a2; version=8acea455fafaf2620b247de6c00774828b618a82 <cdea2da6787583ecca43594132533a2ac8d7cd21

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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