Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49741 is a Linux kernel memory leak in the smscufx framebuffer USB driver’s device-probe error handling. The known impact is availability: repeated triggering could consume kernel memory and degrade or crash a system. The source bundle does not show data theft, privilege escalation, or active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate availability risk. It is not currently evidenced as internet-exploited, but kernel memory leaks can affect reliability on shared or locally accessible systems. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with higher priority where untrusted local users or peripheral access are in scope.
Technical view
The bug is CWE-401 in drivers/video/fbdev/smscufx.c, specifically ufx_usb_probe error paths with mismatched cleanup such as missing ufx_free_usb_list and incorrect cmap/framebuffer cleanup. Syzkaller reported an unreferenced allocation from ufx_alloc_urb_list. CVSS 3.1 is 5.5: local, low privilege, no user interaction, high availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with the smscufx framebuffer USB driver present and reachable. The bundle lists Linux versions including 5.4.232, 5.10.168, 5.15.93, 6.1, 6.1.11, and 6.2 as affected. Systems without this driver or with fixed stable commits are less likely exposed.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Evidence comes from local syzkaller testing that found a memory leak during USB probe error handling. Based on the CVSS vector, exploitation would require local access with low privileges and targets availability rather than confidentiality or integrity.
Researcher notes
The key evidence is the kernel fix description and syzkaller leak trace. The affected-data bundle mixes kernel release numbers and commit identifiers, so validation should rely on vendor backport status, not version strings alone. No exploit, proof-of-concept, or non-availability impact is provided.
Mitigation direction
- Update affected Linux kernels to builds containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check your Linux distribution advisory for backported fixes and package names.
- Prioritize systems allowing local users or peripheral interaction with this driver path.
- If patching is delayed, follow vendor guidance for reducing driver exposure.
- Track kernel versions against the affected list and fixed stable commits.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, workstations, and appliances.
- Check whether smscufx support is built, installed, or loadable on exposed systems.
- Confirm vendor kernel packages include one of the referenced stable fixes.
- Review vulnerability scanner findings against actual kernel package backport status.
- Monitor for unexplained kernel memory pressure on potentially affected systems.
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-2022-49741 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/3b3d3127f5b4291ae4caaf50f7b66089ad600480CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3931014367ef31d26af65386a4ca496f50f0cfdfCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64fa364ad3245508d393e16ed4886f92d7eb423cCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b4c08844628dfc8d72d3f51b657f2a5e63b7b4bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b76449ee75e21acfe9fa4c653d8598f191ed7d68CVE 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.