# CVE-2022-4696: Use after free in Linux Kernel

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel io_uring splice operation allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Jan 2023
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** A-264692298, ASB-A-264692298, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-4696, GHSA-8vjx-3vgx-66mx, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-4696

## What is CVE-2022-4696?

CVE-2022-4696 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 11 Jan 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

There exists a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel through io_uring and the IORING_OP_SPLICE operation. If IORING_OP_SPLICE is missing the IO_WQ_WORK_FILES flag, which signals that the operation won't use current->nsproxy, so its reference counter is not increased. This assumption is not always true as calling io_splice on specific files will call the get_uts function which will use current->nsproxy leading to invalidly decreasing its reference counter later causing the use-after-free vulnerability. We recommend upgrading to version 5.10.160 or above

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free), CWE-763 (Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-4696?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Linux kernel, Netapp H300s Firmware, Netapp H410c Firmware, Netapp H410s Firmware, Netapp H500s Firmware, Netapp H700s Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-4696?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-4696 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-4696 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-4696 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-4696 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 11 Jan 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-4696 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4696/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4696/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-4696
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-4696
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-4696

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4696/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.