CVE-2022-50116

Local link hang via recursive n_gsm locking

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated Jun 1, 2026

Improper locking in the Linux kernel n_gsm line discipline allows local users to hang GSM links during transmission. The gsm_data_kick path processes queued control and user packets synchronously toward the line discipline, allowing write-wakeup reentry to acquire the same serial-port spinlock recursively while congestion can starve control traffic. Access to an n_gsm-backed TTY and sustained line-discipline congestion are required; the documented consequence is a deadlock or link hang, not data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper locking in the Linux kernel n_gsm line discipline allows local users to hang GSM links during transmission. The gsm_data_kick path processes queued control and user packets synchronously toward the line discipline, allowing write-wakeup reentry to acquire the same serial-port spinlock recursively while congestion can starve control traffic. Access to an n_gsm-backed TTY and sustained line-discipline congestion are required; the documented consequence is a deadlock or link hang, not data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50116
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
Jun 1, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-667, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 1, 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=2.6.35
  2. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <0af021678d5d30c31f5a6b631f404ead3575212a
  3. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <5020173e7e7725110a8d4be1359bf1dfc4b1814d
  4. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <7962a4b900099cf90e02859bb297f2c618d8d940
  5. Affected versionversion=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <c165698c9919b000bdbe73859d3bb7b33bdb9223

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.35; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <0af021678d5d30c31f5a6b631f404ead3575212a; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <5020173e7e7725110a8d4be1359bf1dfc4b1814d; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <7962a4b900099cf90e02859bb297f2c618d8d940; version=e1eaea46bb4020b38a141b84f88565d4603f8dd0 <c165698c9919b000bdbe73859d3bb7b33bdb9223

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NISTCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-667Improper Locking
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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