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CVE Record

CVE-2022-50396: net: sched: fix memory leak in tcindex_set_parms

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: sched: fix memory leak in tcindex_set_parms Syzkaller reports a memory leak as follows: ==================================== BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff88810c287f00 (size 256): comm "syz-executor105", pid 3600, jiffies 4294943292 (age 12.990s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff814cf9f0>] kmalloc_trace+0x20/0x90 mm/slab_common.c:1046 [<ffffffff839c9e07>] kmalloc include/linux/slab.h:576 [inline] [<ffffffff839c9e07>] kmalloc_array include/linux/slab.h:627 [inline] [<ffffffff839c9e07>] kcalloc include/linux/slab.h:659 [inline] [<ffffffff839c9e07>] tcf_exts_init include/net/pkt_cls.h:250 [inline] [<ffffffff839c9e07>] tcindex_set_parms+0xa7/0xbe0 net/sched/cls_tcindex.c:342 [<ffffffff839caa1f>] tcindex_change+0xdf/0x120 net/sched/cls_tcindex.c:553 [<ffffffff8394db62>] tc_new_tfilter+0x4f2/0x1100 net/sched/cls_api.c:2147 [<ffffffff8389e91c>] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x4dc/0x5d0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6082 [<ffffffff839eba67>] netlink_rcv_skb+0x87/0x1d0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2540 [<ffffffff839eab87>] netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 [inline] [<ffffffff839eab87>] netlink_unicast+0x397/0x4c0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1345 [<ffffffff839eb046>] netlink_sendmsg+0x396/0x710 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1921 [<ffffffff8383e796>] sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:714 [inline] [<ffffffff8383e796>] sock_sendmsg+0x56/0x80 net/socket.c:734 [<ffffffff8383eb08>] ____sys_sendmsg+0x178/0x410 net/socket.c:2482 [<ffffffff83843678>] ___sys_sendmsg+0xa8/0x110 net/socket.c:2536 [<ffffffff838439c5>] __sys_sendmmsg+0x105/0x330 net/socket.c:2622 [<ffffffff83843c14>] __do_sys_sendmmsg net/socket.c:2651 [inline] [<ffffffff83843c14>] __se_sys_sendmmsg net/socket.c:2648 [inline] [<ffffffff83843c14>] __x64_sys_sendmmsg+0x24/0x30 net/socket.c:2648 [<ffffffff84605fd5>] do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] [<ffffffff84605fd5>] do_syscall_64+0x35/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 [<ffffffff84800087>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd ==================================== Kernel uses tcindex_change() to change an existing filter properties. Yet the problem is that, during the process of changing, if `old_r` is retrieved from `p->perfect`, then kernel uses tcindex_alloc_perfect_hash() to newly allocate filter results, uses tcindex_filter_result_init() to clear the old filter result, without destroying its tcf_exts structure, which triggers the above memory leak. To be more specific, there are only two source for the `old_r`, according to the tcindex_lookup(). `old_r` is retrieved from `p->perfect`, or `old_r` is retrieved from `p->h`. * If `old_r` is retrieved from `p->perfect`, kernel uses tcindex_alloc_perfect_hash() to newly allocate the filter results. Then `r` is assigned with `cp->perfect + handle`, which is newly allocated. So condition `old_r && old_r != r` is true in this situation, and kernel uses tcindex_filter_result_init() to clear the old filter result, without destroying its tcf_exts structure * If `old_r` is retrieved from `p->h`, then `p->perfect` is NULL according to the tcindex_lookup(). Considering that `cp->h` is directly copied from `p->h` and `p->perfect` is NULL, `r` is assigned with `tcindex_lookup(cp, handle)`, whose value should be the same as `old_r`, so condition `old_r && old_r != r` is false in this situation, kernel ignores using tcindex_filter_result_init() to clear the old filter result. So only when `old_r` is retrieved from `p->perfect` does kernel use tcindex_filter_result_init() to clear the old filter result, which triggers the above memory leak. Considering that there already exists a tc_filter_wq workqueue to destroy the old tcindex_d ---truncated---

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel memory leak in traffic-control filtering code. A local actor with required privileges could trigger repeated leaks and degrade availability. The evidence points to denial of service risk, not data theft or remote compromise.

Executive priority

Patch in normal vulnerability windows, faster for shared Linux infrastructure where local users or workloads are not fully trusted. Business risk is mainly service degradation from kernel memory exhaustion, not direct data exposure.

Technical view

tcindex_set_parms can clear an old tcindex filter result without destroying its tcf_exts structure when old_r came from p->perfect. That leaks kernel memory during filter changes. The CVE is CWE-401 with CVSS 3.1 score 5.5, AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or commits where the tcindex classifier path is present and reachable by local users or processes with required permissions. Internet-facing network exposure alone is not indicated by the CVSS vector.

Exploitation context

The bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The report references syzkaller detection and kernel stable fixes. Treat this as a local availability issue unless vendor guidance or new intelligence says otherwise.

Researcher notes

The vulnerable path is in net/sched/cls_tcindex.c during tcindex filter changes. The source explains the leak occurs only when old_r is retrieved from p->perfect and tcf_exts is not destroyed before reinitialization. No exploit procedure is provided in the sources.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply vendor kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize multi-user hosts, container platforms, and shared compute systems.
  • Check distribution advisories for exact package names and fixed builds.
  • Limit local access and traffic-control administration rights where feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers and appliances.
  • Map running kernels against vendor advisories for CVE-2022-50396.
  • Confirm installed kernels include a referenced stable fix or distro backport.
  • Review change controls for shared systems before rebooting into patched kernels.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
6

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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ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2022-50396 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
14Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2022-50396Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxb9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559b, b9a24bb76bf611a5268ceffe04219e6ad264559bunaffected
LinuxLinux4.9, 0, 4.14.308, 4.19.276, 5.4.229, 5.4.235, 5.10.163, 5.10.173, 5.15.87, 5.15.100, 6.0.19, 6.1.5, 6.1.18, 6.2.5, 6.2affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-401 · source CWE mapping

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.