Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-50838 is a Linux kernel networking bug that can leave TCP socket resources stuck after an application closes a socket. The source says this can consume all kernel memory and freeze the host. This is primarily an availability risk for Linux systems running affected kernels, especially where untrusted or isolated workloads can run local code.
Executive priority
Prioritize patching on multi-tenant and workload-hosting Linux infrastructure. The business impact is service outage from kernel memory exhaustion, not data theft based on current sources. No active exploitation is cited, but the denial-of-service impact can be severe.
Technical view
The bug is in Linux kernel stream socket cleanup. When timestamping and zero-copy behavior place cloned buffers in sk_error_queue, socket references can remain elevated after close. sk_stream_kill_queues() needed to purge sk_error_queue with synchronization. Without that, TCP sockets may leak indefinitely, enabling kernel memory exhaustion and host freeze.
Likely exposure
Linux systems running affected kernel versions listed by the CVE are exposed. The described trigger requires an application to exercise specific socket options and close sockets with a non-empty error queue. Containers, shared compute, and systems allowing untrusted local workloads are the most relevant exposure areas.
Exploitation context
The source bundle includes a reported reproducer and states the bug can be abused to consume all kernel memory. It does not cite public active exploitation, and KEV is false. Treat this as a denial-of-service condition requiring local application behavior, not as confirmed remote exploitation.
Researcher notes
The affected data contains upstream versions and commit hashes, but no CVSS, CWE, or distribution-specific package mapping. Validation should account for vendor backports. Avoid assuming exploitability beyond the source-described local application behavior using TCP timestamping, zero-copy, and uncleared error queues.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade to a Linux kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Prioritize shared hosts, container platforms, and systems running untrusted workloads.
- If unable to patch, check Linux distribution guidance for supported mitigations.
- Monitor hosts for abnormal kernel memory growth or unexplained freezes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, containers hosts, and appliances.
- Compare deployed kernels with vendor advisories and referenced stable commits.
- Confirm distribution backports, not only upstream version numbers.
- Review outage or memory-exhaustion events on multi-tenant Linux systems.
Public sources used
- CVE Program
- CVE List V5
- Linux stable commit c8c1eec578a9
- Linux stable commit bab542cf56fc
- Linux stable commit 6f00bd0402a1
- Linux stable commit 4f1d37ff4226
- Linux stable commit 906249381167
- Linux stable commit 9da204cd67c4
- Linux stable commit 8c330c36b397
- Linux stable commit b458d349f875
- Linux stable commit e0c8bccd40fc
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.
CVE-2022-50838 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
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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 and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8c1eec578a9ae2dc8f14a1846942a0b7bf29d1dCVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bab542cf56fc174c8447c00b73be99ffd66d2d39CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6f00bd0402a1e3d2d556afba57c045bd7931e4d3CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f1d37ff4226eb99d6b69e9f4518e279e1a851bfCVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9062493811676ee0efe6c74d98f00ca38c4e17d4CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9da204cd67c4fe97e8aa465d10d5c2e7076f7f42CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c330c36b3970d0917f48827fa6c7a9c75aa4602CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b458d349f8753f666233828ebd30df6f100cf7d5CVE reference
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e0c8bccd40fc1c19e1d246c39bcf79e357e1ada3CVE reference
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.
