CVE-2022-49718

Local system crash via device-node reference leak

Published Feb 26, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A reference-count leak in the Linux kernel 5.18 Apple AIC driver allows local users to exhaust resources and crash the system. The aic_of_ic_init function obtains a device-tree child node with of_get_child_by_name but omits of_node_put after using it, retaining an extra reference. The vulnerable path is confined to systems using Apple AIC device-tree initialization; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A reference-count leak in the Linux kernel 5.18 Apple AIC driver allows local users to exhaust resources and crash the system. The aic_of_ic_init function obtains a device-tree child node with of_get_child_by_name but omits of_node_put after using it, retaining an extra reference. The vulnerable path is confined to systems using Apple AIC device-tree initialization; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49718
Published
Feb 26, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 26, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=a5e8801202b318622ea526aa5625e5f7eceb4d26 <3d45670fab3c25a7452721e4588cc95c51cda134
  3. Affected versionversion=a5e8801202b318622ea526aa5625e5f7eceb4d26 <6c0010d1dc67c89bcc857c46f542efe318f84ddc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=a5e8801202b318622ea526aa5625e5f7eceb4d26 <3d45670fab3c25a7452721e4588cc95c51cda134; version=a5e8801202b318622ea526aa5625e5f7eceb4d26 <6c0010d1dc67c89bcc857c46f542efe318f84ddc

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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