CVE-2022-50566

Kernel memory leak via unreleased MTD device reference

Published Oct 22, 2025 · Updated Oct 22, 2025

Resource leak in the Linux kernel MTD subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through failed device registration. The add_mtd_device() error path leaves the reference acquired while naming the MTD device unreleased instead of calling put_device() after device_add() fails. Reaching the path requires local low-privileged access and a failed MTD registration; repeated failures can exhaust memory and interrupt the system.

CVSS severity5.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in the Linux kernel MTD subsystem allows local users to consume kernel memory through failed device registration. The add_mtd_device() error path leaves the reference acquired while naming the MTD device unreleased instead of calling put_device() after device_add() fails. Reaching the path requires local low-privileged access and a failed MTD registration; repeated failures can exhaust memory and interrupt the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50566
Published
Oct 22, 2025
Updated
Oct 22, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 22, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 22, 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=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <1b172fb05d6315ecec082fd7544a3390e96f0d7e
  2. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <2302e2dc42b1f84f951c725ce742fc21c5a1e151
  3. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <330bc5533e8a8ed69cb951d5a8edce9bddb9db21
  4. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <71212d73184845c944ef1b43f092e643e5bde003
  5. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <895d68a39481a75c680aa421546931fb11942fa6
  6. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <a75f45afa932bfb24a2603ebcea5efd2e7cdcfd6
  7. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <bcabe1dc2a344adbb3382930a23e273ba9382277
  8. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <db07fe76df01f40cb897d6e9066b84e46957beb3
  9. Affected versionversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <fa0d32ab8407d7481450c664fd0de64f2dae9489
  10. Affected versionversion=2.6.30

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <1b172fb05d6315ecec082fd7544a3390e96f0d7e; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <2302e2dc42b1f84f951c725ce742fc21c5a1e151; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <330bc5533e8a8ed69cb951d5a8edce9bddb9db21; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <71212d73184845c944ef1b43f092e643e5bde003; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <895d68a39481a75c680aa421546931fb11942fa6; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <a75f45afa932bfb24a2603ebcea5efd2e7cdcfd6; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <bcabe1dc2a344adbb3382930a23e273ba9382277; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <db07fe76df01f40cb897d6e9066b84e46957beb3; version=1f24b5a8ecbb2a3c7080f418974d40e3ffedb221 <fa0d32ab8407d7481450c664fd0de64f2dae9489; version=2.6.30

Published CVSS scores

5.7SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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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