Linux: a memory flaw attackers can abuse
WHAT IT IS · COMPUTERS, PHONES AND BROWSERSIt runs on staff computers, phones or browsers.
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TECHNICAL SUMMARY It was discovered that the cls_route filter implementation in the Linux kernel would not remove an old filter from the hashtable before freeing it if its handle had the value 0.
WHY THIS VERDICT Attacks are reported but not confirmed by an authoritative source, and the vulnerability is more than 90 days old.
WHY IT RANKS HERE Exploitation is reported. The first report is 7 days old.
- HIGHEST CONFIRMED RUNG
- NOTHING YET
- CISA KEV
- NOT YET
- EXPLOIT CODE
- PROOF OF CONCEPT
How far has it climbed?
01 TALK
□ NO EVIDENCE YETNEWEST EVIDENCE NONE YETNo evidence yet.
SRC: NONE YET02 EXPOSED
□ NOT TRACKED YETNO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YETWe have no source that counts exposed systems yet. Internet scan data needs a partnership we do not have. No evidence here does not mean nothing is exposed.
03 TRIED
▨ REPORTED, NOT CONFIRMEDNEWEST EVIDENCE · 1 SOURCEAttacks that worked are reported (step 4), so attempts count as reported too.
04 EXPLOITED
▨ REPORTED, NOT CONFIRMEDNEWEST EVIDENCE · 1 SOURCEExploitation of CVE-2022-2588 reported (CIRCL sighting).
05 DAMAGE
□ NOT TRACKED YETNO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YETBreach notices and filings rarely name the flaw that was used, so we cannot link them to this event yet. No evidence here does not mean no harm.
When each thing happened
- DISCLOSED
- EXPLOIT CODE PUBLICDATE UNKNOWN
- FIRST ATTACK REPORT
- CISA KEV LISTINGNOT YET
- US FEDERAL DEADLINENOT YET
Questions to ask this week
- Do we run Linux? If yes, is it patched or cut off from the internet?
- Who owns fixing it, and by what date?
- Have we checked for signs of attack since the first report, not just since the patch?
How it unfolded
- AUG 10, 20229 public GitHub repositories claim a proof of concept for CVE-2022-2588
- JAN 8, 2024CISA Vulnrichment notes a public proof of concept for CVE-2022-2588
- Attack activity. NOV 4, 2026Exploitation of CVE-2022-2588 reported (CIRCL sighting)
SOURCES
- [1] CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup sightings: Exploitation of CVE-2022-2588 reported (CIRCL sighting), NOV 4
- [2] CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment notes a public proof of concept for CVE-2022-2588, JAN 8
- [3] PoC-in-GitHub: 9 public GitHub repositories claim a proof of concept for CVE-2022-2588, AUG 10