Linux Kernel prior 5.18.18/5.19.2 kunit kunit_filter_tests memory leak

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.17/5.19.1/80cf4932c2545bc231e933d869511008c36af1e0. Impacted is the function kunit_filter_tests of the component kunit. The manipulation results in memory leak. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2022-50170. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.17/5.19.1/80cf4932c2545bc231e933d869511008c36af1e0. Affected is the function kunit_filter_tests of the component kunit. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:

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/[email protected]/ And by smatch via Dan Carpenter and the kernel test robot: https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2022-50170 since 06/18/2025. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 246389 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2022-50170), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.18.18 or 5.19.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch a8a7e3ced362b88b659ab54239990196ff975982/7d69764fa3442c7615a75c6b5c02eaa1f274bccf/94681e289bf5d10c9db9db143d1a22d8717205c5 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (246389) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1350). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Avamar
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.18.0
• 5.18.1
• 5.18.2
• 5.18.3
• 5.18.4
• 5.18.5
• 5.18.6
• 5.18.7
• 5.18.8
• 5.18.9
• 5.18.10
• 5.18.11
• 5.18.12
• 5.18.13
• 5.18.14
• 5.18.15
• 5.18.16
• 5.18.17
• 5.19.0
• 5.19.1
• 80cf4932c2545bc231e933d869511008c36af1e0

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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