Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49408 is a Linux kernel ext4 bug where failed processing of stored mount options can leak allocated memory. The main business risk is availability: repeated triggering could consume kernel memory and degrade or crash systems. It requires local access and no public source here shows active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a normal-priority kernel availability fix, not an emergency internet-facing incident. Prioritize multi-user Linux hosts, build systems, virtualization workers, and environments that handle untrusted disk images or local mounts.
Technical view
The issue is a CWE-401 memory leak in ext4 parse_apply_sb_mount_options(). If on-disk mount option processing fails after ext4_fs_context allocations such as s_qf_names, cleanup used kfree() instead of ext4_fc_free(). CVSS is 5.5 with local, low-complexity, low-privilege availability impact only.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant on Linux systems using affected ext4 kernel code, especially where local users, services, or automation can mount or process ext4 filesystems with stored mount options. Distro backports may change exact exposure, so kernel vendor status matters.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates local access with low privileges and no user interaction. The public description includes a reproducer, but this assessment does not provide offensive steps.
Researcher notes
The evidence supports a local availability flaw in ext4 cleanup error handling. The source bundle does not prove broad exploitability, remote reachability, or confidentiality/integrity impact. Exact affected ranges are ambiguous without distribution-specific kernel backport data.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced ext4 stable fixes.
- Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes and affected package versions.
- Restrict local mount capability to trusted administrators and controlled automation.
- Avoid processing untrusted ext4 images on affected kernels where possible.
Validation and detection
- Inventory running kernel versions and distribution package build numbers.
- Confirm vendor advisories map your kernel to fixed or unaffected status.
- Review whether systems allow local users or services to mount ext4 filesystems.
- Monitor affected hosts for unusual memory pressure after failed mount activity.
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-2022-49408 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/9ea3e6168948189cec31d0678d2b55b395f88491CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f92ded66e9d0aa20b883a2a5183973abc8f41815CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c069db76ed7b681c69159f44be96d2137e9ca989CVE 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.