What products are affected by CVE-2022-0492?

CVE-2022-0492 affects Linux Kernel. Refer to the vendor advisory and NVD record for affected versions.

Is there a public exploit for CVE-2022-0492?

Yes. Public exploit code or proof-of-concept has been identified for CVE-2022-0492. This lowers the barrier for exploitation and increases the urgency of patching. Organizations should prioritize remediation immediately.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2022-0492?

CVE-2022-0492 has an EPSS score of 28.1%, placing it in the 97th percentile. This means it has a 28.1% probability of being exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 97% of all known vulnerabilities. EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is maintained by FIRST and uses real-world threat data to estimate exploitation likelihood.

Actively Exploited — CISA KEV

CVE-2022-0492: Linux Kernel High-Severity Vulnerability

Severity: High | CVSS 3.1: 7.8 | Published: 2022-03-03 | KEV Added: 2026-06-02

What is CVE-2022-0492?

A vulnerability was found in the Linux kernel’s cgroup_release_agent_write in the kernel/cgroup/cgroup-v1.c function. This flaw, under certain circumstances, allows the use of the cgroups v1 release_agent feature to escalate privileges and bypass the namespace isolation unexpectedly.

Technical Analysis

Weakness Classification

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-287 — Improper Authentication. The authentication mechanism can be bypassed or is implemented incorrectly, allowing unauthorized access.

Attack Vector Breakdown

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Impact Analysis

Exploitation requires local access to the target system, such as a local user session or a malicious file opened by a user. The attack complexity is low, meaning exploitation does not depend on specialized conditions or race windows. Successful exploitation can result in full confidentiality breach (complete data disclosure), complete integrity compromise (data modification or code execution), total availability loss (denial of service). The authentication mechanism can be bypassed or is implemented incorrectly, allowing unauthorized access.

Exploitation Probability (EPSS): 28.1% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (97th percentile). This is a significantly elevated exploitation probability — prioritize patching.

Exploit Availability

Public exploit code or proof-of-concept is available for CVE-2022-0492. This significantly increases the risk of exploitation, as attackers can use or adapt existing exploit code rather than developing their own. A public exploit reference has been identified. Organizations should treat this as an urgent patching priority.

Is CVE-2022-0492 being exploited?

Yes. CVE-2022-0492 is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, restricted to CVEs with confirmed active exploitation in the wild. CISA added this vulnerability on 2026-06-02. Inclusion in KEV triggers the patching mandate under BOD 22-01 for U.S. federal civilian agencies, with a remediation deadline of 2026-06-05. Additionally, public exploit code is available, which lowers the barrier for attackers.

How to fix CVE-2022-0492

Update the Linux kernel to the patched version via your distribution's package manager (apt, yum, dnf). A reboot is typically required after kernel updates. For environments where rebooting is not immediately possible, check if a livepatch/kpatch is available from your distribution vendor. Check the Linux Kernel CVEs page for the specific patch or update. CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog requires U.S. federal agencies to remediate this vulnerability by the due date shown below under Binding Operational Directive 22-01. Private organizations should treat KEV entries as priority-one patches because active exploitation has been confirmed in the wild.

Related Vulnerabilities

Other actively exploited vulnerabilities affecting Kernel or sharing the same weakness (CWE-287):

CVE-2026-31431 (High 7.8) [same product] — In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto…
CVE-2018-14634 (High 7.8) [same product] — An integer overflow flaw was found in the Linux kernel's create_elf_tables()…
CVE-2021-22555 (Unknown N/A) [same product] — Linux Kernel contains a heap out-of-bounds write vulnerability that could…
CVE-2025-38352 (High 7.4) [same product] — In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been…
CVE-2023-0386 (Unknown N/A) [same product] — Linux Kernel contains an improper ownership management vulnerability, where…

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2022-0492 critical?

CVE-2022-0492 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 — High severity. It should be treated as a priority patch, especially given the active exploitation confirmed by CISA. The availability of public exploit code further increases the urgency.

Is CVE-2022-0492 being actively exploited?

Yes — CISA added CVE-2022-0492 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-06-02. Inclusion in KEV means CISA has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation. Public exploit code has also been identified, making exploitation accessible to a broader range of threat actors.

How do I patch CVE-2022-0492?

Apply the security update from Linux for Kernel. Federal agencies must remediate by 2026-06-05 under BOD 22-01. Refer to the Linux Kernel CVEs for the official patch.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2022-0492?

CVE-2022-0492 is classified under CWE-287 (Improper Authentication). The authentication mechanism can be bypassed or is implemented incorrectly, allowing unauthorized access.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2022-0492?

CVE-2022-0492 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, classifying it as High severity. The attack vector is Local, attack complexity is Low, and non-zero privileges are required.