CVE-2022-50477

Local service interruption via RTC device allocation leak

Published Oct 4, 2025 · Updated Oct 4, 2025

A memory leak in the Linux kernel RTC class allows local users to exhaust kernel memory when an RTC device name assignment fails. devm_rtc_allocate_device allocates an rtc_device but registers its managed cleanup only after dev_set_name, so a naming error abandons the allocation. Reaching the path requires local access that can initiate an RTC driver probe; repeated failures consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the Linux kernel RTC class allows local users to exhaust kernel memory when an RTC device name assignment fails. devm_rtc_allocate_device allocates an rtc_device but registers its managed cleanup only after dev_set_name, so a naming error abandons the allocation. Reaching the path requires local access that can initiate an RTC driver probe; repeated failures consume kernel memory and can interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50477
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401
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=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <0bcfc8fd3e596994f527b46730579428b3a4fa5f
  2. Affected versionversion=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <59457a0f079eae19aaf322b3cc1c8ba66f55c5f3
  3. Affected versionversion=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <60da73808298ff2cfa9f165d55eb3d7aa7078601
  4. Affected versionversion=5.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <0bcfc8fd3e596994f527b46730579428b3a4fa5f; version=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <59457a0f079eae19aaf322b3cc1c8ba66f55c5f3; version=24d23181e43d72ca692a479e70dfe5b0b5dd33f1 <60da73808298ff2cfa9f165d55eb3d7aa7078601; version=5.16

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS: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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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