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CVE Record

CVE-2022-50170: kunit: executor: Fix a memory leak on failure in kunit_filter_tests

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kunit: executor: Fix a memory leak on failure in kunit_filter_tests It's possible that memory allocation for 'filtered' will fail, but for the copy of the suite to succeed. In this case, the copy could be leaked. Properly free 'copy' in the error case for the allocation of 'filtered' failing. Note that there may also have been a similar issue in kunit_filter_subsuites, before it was removed in "kunit: flatten kunit_suite*** to kunit_suite** in .kunit_test_suites". This was reported by clang-analyzer via the kernel test robot, here: https://lore.kernel.org/all/c8073b8e-7b9e-0830-4177-87c12f16349c@intel.com/ And by smatch via Dan Carpenter and the kernel test robot: https://lore.kernel.org/all/202207101328.ASjx88yj-lkp@intel.com/

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-50170 is a Linux kernel memory leak in KUnit, the kernel unit testing framework. The issue occurs on an allocation-failure path while filtering tests. Available sources do not show active exploitation, CVSS scoring, or normal remote attack exposure.

Executive priority

Handle as routine kernel maintenance, not an emergency response item, unless your organization runs affected custom kernels or KUnit-heavy test infrastructure at scale.

Technical view

In kunit_filter_tests, allocation for filtered can fail after a suite copy succeeds. The error path did not free copy, causing a leak. The kernel fix frees copy when filtered allocation fails. Reports came from clang-analyzer, smatch, and kernel test robot findings.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to affected Linux kernel builds containing the vulnerable KUnit executor code, especially environments using KUnit test filtering. The provided data lists affected Linux versions including 5.19, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, and 6.0, but distribution backport status must be checked separately.

Exploitation context

The source bundle reports a memory leak found by static analysis and test automation. It does not provide evidence of active exploitation, public exploit code, KEV listing, privilege escalation, remote reachability, or production attack paths.

Researcher notes

The vulnerability is a narrow allocation-failure memory leak in KUnit executor logic. The record mentions a possibly similar historical issue in kunit_filter_subsuites, but that function was removed. Evidence is incomplete for exploitability beyond resource leakage.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a kernel or distribution package containing the stable fix commits.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes to supported kernels.
  • Prioritize affected CI, development, and test systems that run KUnit.
  • Track vendor guidance if running custom or downstream kernel builds.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions and compare them with vendor fixed releases.
  • Confirm whether KUnit is enabled or used in affected build pipelines.
  • Review kernel package changelogs for the referenced stable commits.
  • Verify vulnerability scanner results against distribution backport information.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2022-50170 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxbd8b222a0002872bb229f6c755672a093ef93ea4, a02353f491622e49c7ddedc6a6dc4f1d6ed2150a, a02353f491622e49c7ddedc6a6dc4f1d6ed2150a, 80cf4932c2545bc231e933d869511008c36af1e0unaffected
LinuxLinux5.19, 0, 5.18.18, 5.19.2, 6.0affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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