CVE-2022-50123

Kernel resource exhaustion via device-tree reference leak

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A reference-count leak in Linux kernel 4.2 through 5.19.1 allows local users to consume kernel resources through audio probe failures. The mt8173_rt5650_rt5676_dev_probe error paths retain references returned by of_parse_phandle instead of releasing them with of_node_put. Reachability requires the MT8173 RT5650/RT5676 sound-card driver, a matching device-tree node, and a probe failure; published sources identify no resulting crash or hang.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
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 Linux kernel 4.2 through 5.19.1 allows local users to consume kernel resources through audio probe failures. The mt8173_rt5650_rt5676_dev_probe error paths retain references returned by of_parse_phandle instead of releasing them with of_node_put. Reachability requires the MT8173 RT5650/RT5676 sound-card driver, a matching device-tree node, and a probe failure; published sources identify no resulting crash or hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50123
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 18, 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=4.2
  2. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <540c7b7385fb110740703888b4b2bbfa06c7f79c
  3. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <58567ed2878f70e0ded242cb529fb4a7618ea9f8
  4. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <769399bce8825e1dcc5050dab78e15ab578baf4f
  5. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <aa1214ece37944e4dbbb5cfb1d02bf37e4d89b02
  6. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <aa668f8e93199cda8fa1612eb49ff70f5ecd8c92
  7. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <ae4f11c1ed2d67192fdf3d89db719ee439827c11
  8. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <d6d41f04640db0f946e2c3f7963bb2774afc7a0d
  9. Affected versionversion=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <fab5eb31819a2693b0c3d6f3df6a0d193af9a089

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.2; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <540c7b7385fb110740703888b4b2bbfa06c7f79c; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <58567ed2878f70e0ded242cb529fb4a7618ea9f8; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <769399bce8825e1dcc5050dab78e15ab578baf4f; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <aa1214ece37944e4dbbb5cfb1d02bf37e4d89b02; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <aa668f8e93199cda8fa1612eb49ff70f5ecd8c92; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <ae4f11c1ed2d67192fdf3d89db719ee439827c11; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <d6d41f04640db0f946e2c3f7963bb2774afc7a0d; version=94319ba10ecabc8f28129566d1f5793e3e7a0a79 <fab5eb31819a2693b0c3d6f3df6a0d193af9a089

Published CVSS scores

5.5Canonical UbuntuCVSS: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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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