System crash via regulator registration use-after-free
Published Dec 8, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel regulator core allows local users to crash the system during concurrent MFD removal and regulator registration. regulator_of_get_init_data() attaches a child's initialization data to the parent device's managed resources, so parent teardown frees that data while regulator_register() still applies child constraints. Exploitation requires high local privileges, an MFD-created regulator child, and precise overlap between parent teardown and child registration.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel regulator core allows local users to crash the system during concurrent MFD removal and regulator registration. regulator_of_get_init_data() attaches a child's initialization data to the parent device's managed resources, so parent teardown frees that data while regulator_register() still applies child constraints. Exploitation requires high local privileges, an MFD-created regulator child, and precise overlap between parent teardown and child registration.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-50616
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 8, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=3.18
- Affected versionversion=a0c7b164ad115ec0556dc0904ee2218cbc5cedfa <8f3cbcd6b440032ebc7f7d48a1689dcc70a4eb98
- Affected versionversion=a0c7b164ad115ec0556dc0904ee2218cbc5cedfa <b0f25ca1ff9be7abd1679ae7e59a8f25dbffe67a
- Affected versionversion=a0c7b164ad115ec0556dc0904ee2218cbc5cedfa <cb29811d989bcb7ea81ca111c4b13878b344e086
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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