Background exploitation KEV catalog
CVE-2021-22600

Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

A double free bug in packet_set_ring() in net/packet/af_packet.c can be exploited by a local user through crafted syscalls to escalate privileges or deny service. We recommend upgrading kernel past the effected versions or rebuilding past…

CheckOps priority index
4.0/10 Patch within 7 days
Severity6.6
Probability0.7
Exploitation2/5

Severity = CVSS. Probability = EPSS (FIRST). Exploitation = public signals: KEV, EUVD, ransomware, EPSS above 10 %, no account required.

EPSS · today 6.6% higher than 93.8% of CVEs
CVSS 3.1 6.6 AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:
Exploited for 1,667 days 11 Apr 2022
CISA due date 02 May 2022 for US federal agencies

Exploitation probability EPSS · FIRST

05010026 Sep05 Oct15 Oct24 Oct02 Nov
EPSS probability (%)Percentile among all CVEs

Exploitation signals 2 / 5

  • KEV catalog (CISA)11 Apr 2022
  • Exploited in EUVD (ENISA)11 Apr 2022
  • Used by ransomwareno
  • EPSS above 10 %6.6%
  • No account, over the networkno

What to do

Fix

Update to a fixed version: 5.15.15-1

CISA guidance: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Meanwhile

Take the service off the internet or restrict access to it, watch the logs and look for signs of compromise.

Manufacturers (CRA)

Exploited vulnerability in your product: early warning to ENISA within 24 h, then notification within 72 h (Article 14 of the Cyber Resilience Act). The CRA explained

Description ENISA EUVD

A double free bug in packet_set_ring() in net/packet/af_packet.c can be exploited by a local user through crafted syscalls to escalate privileges or deny service. We recommend upgrading kernel past the effected versions or rebuilding past ec6af094ea28f0f2dda1a6a33b14cd57e36a9755

Affected products

Kernel
Affected versions
  • unspecified <5.15.11
  • unspecified <5.4.168
  • unspecified <5.16-rc6
  • unspecified <5.10.88
Weaknesses (CWE)

Open source packages OSV

  • linuxDebian:12 · CVE-2021-22600
    fixed in 5.15.15-1
  • linuxDebian:13 · CVE-2021-22600
    fixed in 5.15.15-1

Timeline

  1. Published

  2. Exploitation reported (ENISA)

  3. Added to the KEV catalog

  4. CISA remediation due date

References

Other exploited vulnerabilities from the same vendor

  • CVE-2026-46300Linux Kernel Missing Initialization of a Variable Vulnerability
    5.4 · Rising fast
  • CVE-2026-53266Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability
    4.7 · Actively exploited
  • CVE-2025-39964Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability
    4.4 · Actively exploited
  • CVE-2025-39682Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Vulnerability
    5.8 · Actively exploited
  • CVE-2026-53362Linux Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability
    4.3 · Actively exploited
  • CVE-2022-0995Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability
    4.6 · Actively exploited

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Sources: CISA KEV · ENISA EUVD · FIRST EPSS · OSV. Public data aggregated by CheckOps, updated automatically. Source texts remain the property of their authors. All exploited vulnerabilities