Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-49901 is a Linux kernel memory leak in the block multi-queue subsystem. Under an error path, allocated hardware context objects may not be released, potentially exhausting memory and affecting availability. The source evidence points to local exploitation conditions, not remote compromise or data theft.
Executive priority
Treat this as a normal kernel availability patching item. It does not currently show public active exploitation in the supplied sources, but availability impact is high if reachable locally on important hosts.
Technical view
The flaw is a CWE-401 memory leak in blk_mq_init_allocated_queue. If blk_mq_alloc_and_init_hctx fails after some contexts are allocated, q->mq_ops can be cleared before queue release, causing queue_is_mq to return false and skip blk_mq_release. The fix changes the exception path to call blk_release_queue.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or branches identified by the CVE source. The provided evidence names Linux 5.2 through 6.1-related affected data and stable kernel fixes. It is a local availability issue, not an internet-facing service bug.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high availability impact. The CVE is not listed as KEV in the bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation. The public description demonstrates the leak through null_blk module loading, but does not provide broader exploit evidence.
Researcher notes
Evidence is specific to an error-handling leak in blk-mq queue initialization. The source bundle does not establish remote reachability, confidentiality impact, integrity impact, or weaponized exploitation. Validate against exact downstream kernel backports rather than relying only on upstream version labels.
Mitigation direction
- Apply a vendor kernel update containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Confirm distro advisories map the fix to your deployed kernel packages.
- Prioritize shared, multi-user, or workload-dense Linux hosts.
- Review module-loading controls where local users have elevated operational access.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, containers hosts, and appliances.
- Check whether deployed kernels include commits 2dc97e15a54b or 943f45b9399e.
- Review vendor changelogs for CVE-2022-49901 or the blk-mq fix.
- Assess whether local users can trigger relevant block subsystem initialization paths.
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-2022-49901 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/2dc97e15a54b7bdf457848aa8c663c98a24e58a6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/943f45b9399ed8b2b5190cbc797995edaa97f58fCVE 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.