CVE-2022-50780

Local host compromise via stale namespace pointer

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Use-after-free in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to compromise the host through network-namespace creation. When setup_net() calls ops_init() and a registered initializer fails, ops_init() frees its allocation but leaves net->gen pointing to it; later cleanup in nfqnl_nf_hook_drop() dereferences that stale pointer. Reachability requires local low-privileged access sufficient to invoke unshare() and drive the failing initialization path; successful exploitation compromises host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to compromise the host through network-namespace creation. When setup_net() calls ops_init() and a registered initializer fails, ops_init() frees its allocation but leaves net->gen pointing to it; later cleanup in nfqnl_nf_hook_drop() dereferences that stale pointer. Reachability requires local low-privileged access sufficient to invoke unshare() and drive the failing initialization path; successful exploitation compromises host confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50780
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=2.6.33
  2. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <4a4df5e78712de39d6f90d6a64b5eb48dca03bd5
  3. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <5a2ea549be94924364f6911227d99be86e8cf34a
  4. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <97ad240fd9aa9214497d14af2b91608e20856cac
  5. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <a1e18acb0246bfb001b08b8b1b830b5ec92a0f13
  6. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <c3edc6e808209aa705185f732e682a370981ced1
  7. Affected versionversion=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <d266935ac43d57586e311a087510fe6a084af742

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.33; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <4a4df5e78712de39d6f90d6a64b5eb48dca03bd5; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <5a2ea549be94924364f6911227d99be86e8cf34a; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <97ad240fd9aa9214497d14af2b91608e20856cac; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <a1e18acb0246bfb001b08b8b1b830b5ec92a0f13; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <c3edc6e808209aa705185f732e682a370981ced1; version=f875bae065334907796da12523f9df85c89f5712 <d266935ac43d57586e311a087510fe6a084af742

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS: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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