CVE-2022-50779

Kernel memory leak via unreleased OrangeFS help buffer

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Memory leak in the Linux OrangeFS module allows local administrators to consume kernel memory by repeatedly loading and unloading the module. orangefs_prepare_debugfs_help_string() allocates debug_help_string, but cleanup and buffer replacement paths fail to free the allocation. Module-management privileges are required; each cycle leaks 4,096 bytes, so sustained repetition consumes kernel memory.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
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 OrangeFS module allows local administrators to consume kernel memory by repeatedly loading and unloading the module. orangefs_prepare_debugfs_help_string() allocates debug_help_string, but cleanup and buffer replacement paths fail to free the allocation. Module-management privileges are required; each cycle leaks 4,096 bytes, so sustained repetition consumes kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50779
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <19be31668552a198e887762e25bdcc560800ecb4
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2e7c09121064df93c58bbc49d3d0f608d3f584bd
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <39529b79b023713d4f2d3479dc0ca43ba99df726
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3fc221d9a16339a913a0341d3efc7fef339073e1
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44d3eac26a5e5268d11cc342dc202b0d31505c0a
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b8affa0c6405ee968dcb6030bee2cf719a464752
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ba9d3b9cec20957fd86bb1bf525b4ea8b64b2dea
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d23417a5bf3a3afc55de5442eb46e1e60458b0a1
  9. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f2b8a6aac561a49fe02c99683c40a8b87a9f68fc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <19be31668552a198e887762e25bdcc560800ecb4; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2e7c09121064df93c58bbc49d3d0f608d3f584bd; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <39529b79b023713d4f2d3479dc0ca43ba99df726; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3fc221d9a16339a913a0341d3efc7fef339073e1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44d3eac26a5e5268d11cc342dc202b0d31505c0a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b8affa0c6405ee968dcb6030bee2cf719a464752; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ba9d3b9cec20957fd86bb1bf525b4ea8b64b2dea; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d23417a5bf3a3afc55de5442eb46e1e60458b0a1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f2b8a6aac561a49fe02c99683c40a8b87a9f68fc

Published CVSS scores

6.7SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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