Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Linux kernel memory leak in the MHI WWAN MBIM network driver. A local user with low privileges could trigger resource loss, potentially reducing availability. It is not reported as remotely exploitable, and the provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a routine availability-focused kernel update, with higher priority for multi-user Linux systems or endpoints using WWAN modem support. It does not warrant emergency response based on the provided evidence.
Technical view
The MHI WWAN MBIM driver registered a network device without setting needs_free_netdev and did not call free_netdev during unregister. The fix sets needs_free_netdev so the networking subsystem frees the device after unregister_netdevice, addressing CWE-401 memory leak behavior.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant on Linux systems running affected kernel versions with MHI WWAN MBIM driver support or hardware in use. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and availability impact only.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. Any attacker would need local access with low privileges. The likely impact is availability degradation through memory leakage, not data theft or integrity compromise.
Researcher notes
The evidence supports a local CWE-401 flaw in Linux kernel WWAN MHI MBIM cleanup handling. The supplied affected-version data is terse and somewhat ambiguous, so validate exact exposure through vendor kernel advisories and backport status.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor or stable Linux kernel containing the referenced fixes.
- Prioritize hosts using WWAN, MHI, or MBIM modem functionality.
- Check distribution advisories for backported kernel fixes.
- Limit unnecessary local user access on exposed multi-user systems.
- Monitor for unusual memory pressure on affected kernel builds.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across affected fleets.
- Identify systems loading or using MHI WWAN MBIM driver functionality.
- Confirm vendor kernel changelogs include the referenced fix commits.
- Review vulnerability scanner results against CVE-2022-49866.
- Track memory pressure reports on systems awaiting kernel updates.
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-2022-49866 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/2845bc9070cef0c651987487d84d4813d64675ddCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3cd3ffe952f78ec5dadf300cb58d4b38a0c0106dCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/668205b9c9f94d5ed6ab00cce9a46a654c2b5d16CVE 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.