CVE-2022-50348 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
nfsd: Fix a memory leak in an error handling path
If this memdup_user() call fails, the memory allocated in a previous call a few lines above should be freed. Otherwise it leaks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-50348 represents a memory leak flaw within the Linux kernel's Network File System daemon implementation. This issue specifically affects the nfsd component responsible for handling NFS server operations, where improper error handling leads to resource exhaustion through unallocated memory segments. The vulnerability manifests when the memdup_user() function fails during execution, creating a scenario where previously allocated memory remains unreleased, resulting in gradual memory consumption that can ultimately impact system stability and performance.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate error path management within the kernel's NFS server implementation. When the memdup_user() function encounters an error condition, it fails to properly execute the cleanup routine that should release memory allocated in preceding operations. This represents a classic memory management flaw where resource deallocation occurs only in successful execution paths but not in error handling branches. The flaw exists within the nfsd subsystem's memory allocation logic, specifically in the sequence where multiple memory allocation calls are made, and only the final allocation's success is properly checked while previous allocations lack corresponding cleanup mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory consumption issues to potentially compromise system availability and performance. While the leak may appear minor in individual instances, sustained operation of affected systems can lead to progressive memory exhaustion, particularly in high-traffic NFS environments where the vulnerability is more frequently triggered. The memory leak can accumulate over time, eventually leading to system slowdowns, resource contention, or even system crashes in severe cases. This vulnerability particularly affects systems running NFS server implementations where multiple concurrent operations may trigger the problematic code path repeatedly, amplifying the memory consumption effects.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-50348 should prioritize applying the relevant kernel security patches that address the specific memory leak in the nfsd error handling path. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of memory usage patterns on NFS servers to detect potential memory exhaustion symptoms that may indicate this vulnerability's exploitation. The fix typically involves ensuring proper memory cleanup in error handling paths by adding appropriate free() calls or using kernel memory management primitives that automatically handle cleanup. Organizations should also consider implementing resource limits and monitoring thresholds for memory consumption on NFS server systems to detect anomalous behavior that may indicate memory leak exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which categorizes memory leaks as a common software weakness, and may be relevant to ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which covers resource exhaustion attacks that can be facilitated through memory management flaws in system components.