Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49230 is a Linux kernel memory-leak flaw in the mt76 mt7915 wireless driver. When adding a station fails, an allocated network buffer may not be freed. The main business risk is local availability impact on systems using this driver, not data theft or remote compromise based on the supplied evidence.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted kernel maintenance issue. It is not evidenced as internet-exploited, but systems using the affected wireless driver should be updated through normal vulnerability SLAs because availability impact is rated high.
Technical view
The flaw is CWE-401 in mt7915_mcu_add_sta: failure paths did not free an allocated skb. CVSS 3.1 is 5.5, local attack vector, low privileges, no user interaction, and high availability impact. The kernel stable references show fixes that free the buffer on failure.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems running affected kernel builds with the mt76 mt7915 wireless driver path present or enabled. Distro kernels may have backported fixes, so package version alone may not prove vulnerability.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not identify active exploitation, and KEV is false. The CVSS vector indicates local, low-privilege conditions with availability impact only. No source in the bundle supports remote exploitation or confidentiality impact.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports a memory leak in a specific Linux wireless driver failure path. The bundle provides stable kernel commit references but not exploit reports, distribution advisories, or complete product matrices. Validate against downstream vendor kernels because backporting may change apparent version exposure.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a kernel or vendor backport containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Prioritize systems using MediaTek mt7915 or mt76 wireless functionality.
- Check vendor kernel advisories before applying operational workarounds.
- If patching is delayed, reduce exposure on systems where the driver is unnecessary.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel builds and wireless hardware using mt76 or mt7915.
- Confirm whether the referenced stable commits are present in your kernel source or vendor package.
- Review distro changelogs for CVE-2022-49230 or equivalent backport notes.
- Monitor affected systems for memory pressure or availability symptoms until patched.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-49230 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/daf02c7e3c3dc82ffa925999597bd455cf799551CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b334a245ff1d76b1e97af8cea648ea6798b9eb87CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a43736cd12d82913102eb49cb56787a5553e028fCVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.