CVE-2022-50473

Kernel crash via uninitialized cpufreq completion

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

Use of an uninitialized resource in Linux kernel cpufreq allows local users to crash the kernel during CPU-frequency driver setup. cpufreq_policy_alloc initializes its completion after kobject_init_and_add, so the failure path reaches cpufreq_sysfs_release and completes an uninitialized object. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and failed kobject registration; the consequence is limited to a kernel crash.

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

What happened

Use of an uninitialized resource in Linux kernel cpufreq allows local users to crash the kernel during CPU-frequency driver setup. cpufreq_policy_alloc initializes its completion after kobject_init_and_add, so the failure path reaches cpufreq_sysfs_release and completes an uninitialized object. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and failed kobject registration; the consequence is limited to a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50473
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 4, 2025Record 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=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <3cdd91a9163248935720927531066b74f57aa43b
  2. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <5c51054896bcce1d33d39fead2af73fec24f40b6
  3. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <8fb4c98f20dfca1237de2e3dfdbe78d156784fd3
  4. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <d88540acfc7a17079021d866de914112c396edb1
  5. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <e379b88a8f8cffc99b318e028705ed9e3da0e1e0
  6. Affected versionversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <e7c0c943ed675b66d4bbb16c51c6a3bb58da047e
  7. Affected versionversion=5.2
  8. Affected versionversion=e977b1477a6725868302957e6b5c330220391797

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <3cdd91a9163248935720927531066b74f57aa43b; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <5c51054896bcce1d33d39fead2af73fec24f40b6; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <8fb4c98f20dfca1237de2e3dfdbe78d156784fd3; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <d88540acfc7a17079021d866de914112c396edb1; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <e379b88a8f8cffc99b318e028705ed9e3da0e1e0; version=4ebe36c94aed95de71a8ce6a6762226d31c938ee <e7c0c943ed675b66d4bbb16c51c6a3bb58da047e; version=5.2; version=e977b1477a6725868302957e6b5c330220391797

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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

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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

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
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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