CVE-2022-50640

Kernel panic via unmatched SDIO reference decrement

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel allows physically proximate attackers to crash the system by removing a non-standard SDIO card. sdio_init_func does not take a device reference for non-standard cards, but sdio_release_func decrements it unconditionally during removal. Physical access to an attached non-standard SDIO card is required, and the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel allows physically proximate attackers to crash the system by removing a non-standard SDIO card. sdio_init_func does not take a device reference for non-standard cards, but sdio_release_func decrements it unconditionally during removal. Physical access to an attached non-standard SDIO card is required, and the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50640
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 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=2.6.36
  2. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <1e8cd93ae536581562bab4e1d8c5315bbc2548bf
  3. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <1fb79478695d92bab1c120ad3dad05252b02a29d
  4. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <66d461a92f32b6995b630625d350259b6b1f961b
  5. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <7a09c64b7da0abdec3919812e3d93ecc44069ed0
  6. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <8bf037279b5869ae9331c42bb1527d2680ebba96
  7. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <9972e6b404884adae9eec7463e30d9b3c9a70b18
  8. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <b3275dde570b6420106a715bb58a0af041b94d95
  9. Affected versionversion=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <b8b2965932e702b21e335ff30e1bb550f5a23b6f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.36; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <1e8cd93ae536581562bab4e1d8c5315bbc2548bf; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <1fb79478695d92bab1c120ad3dad05252b02a29d; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <66d461a92f32b6995b630625d350259b6b1f961b; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <7a09c64b7da0abdec3919812e3d93ecc44069ed0; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <8bf037279b5869ae9331c42bb1527d2680ebba96; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <9972e6b404884adae9eec7463e30d9b3c9a70b18; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <b3275dde570b6420106a715bb58a0af041b94d95; version=6f51be3d37dff73cf8db771df4169f4c2f1cbf66 <b8b2965932e702b21e335ff30e1bb550f5a23b6f

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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