Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a local Linux kernel memory leak. A user who can run code on an affected system may repeatedly trigger leaked kernel memory, potentially exhausting resources and disrupting availability. It is not described as a remote compromise or data theft issue.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate operational risk. It is unlikely to be an internet-facing breach vector from the provided evidence, but it can affect availability on systems with local users. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, prioritizing shared or exposed execution environments.
Technical view
CVE-2022-50391 affects Linux kernel mm/mempolicy handling in set_mempolicy_home_node. An error path after mpol_dup() can return without mpol_put() when a VMA policy is not MPOL_BIND or MPOL_PREFERRED_MANY, causing a kernel memory leak. CVSS is 5.5 with local, low-complexity, low-privilege access and high availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant on affected Linux kernels where non-root local users can execute code. Shared servers, developer systems, and multi-user workloads deserve attention. The supplied version data is incomplete, so confirm exact exposure against kernel or distribution advisories.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate active exploitation, and KEV is false. The weakness is local and availability-focused: an arbitrary user may leak kernel memory. No cited source supports remote exploitation, privilege escalation, confidentiality impact, or integrity impact.
Researcher notes
Focus review on mm/mempolicy error handling around set_mempolicy_home_node and policy reference lifecycle. The provided commits identify the upstream stable fixes, but the source bundle does not provide detailed distro backport mapping or exploit telemetry.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Linux stable or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced fixes.
- Check vendor guidance for exact package versions and backports.
- Limit untrusted local shell or code execution until patched.
- Monitor affected hosts for unusual memory pressure or availability degradation.
Validation and detection
- Inventory running kernel versions across Linux hosts.
- Compare kernels against vendor advisories and the referenced stable commits.
- Prioritize systems allowing local access by untrusted users.
- Confirm patched kernels are booted, not only installed.
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
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-50391 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.
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:H1.83.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability 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
Source materials
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.