CVE-2022-50887

Local denial of service via leaked node references

Published Dec 30, 2025 · Updated Dec 30, 2025

A memory leak in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to exhaust memory by repeatedly attaching crafted device-tree overlays. The regulator core's of_get_regulator() retains the reference returned by of_parse_phandle() because regulator_dev_lookup() fails to call of_node_put() after using the node. Triggering the flaw requires low-privilege local access and the ability to attach device-tree overlays; sustained repetition can interrupt the system as kernel memory is depleted.

CVSS severity5.5
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

A memory leak in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to exhaust memory by repeatedly attaching crafted device-tree overlays. The regulator core's of_get_regulator() retains the reference returned by of_parse_phandle() because regulator_dev_lookup() fails to call of_node_put() after using the node. Triggering the flaw requires low-privilege local access and the ability to attach device-tree overlays; sustained repetition can interrupt the system as kernel memory is depleted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50887
Published
Dec 30, 2025
Updated
Dec 30, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 30, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 30, 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=3.3
  2. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <0e88505ac0a6ae97746bcdbd4b042ee9f20455ae
  3. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <2b93c58adddd98812ad928bbc2063038f3df1ffd
  4. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <2f98469c3141f8e42ba11075a273fb795bbad57f
  5. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <3ac888db0f67813d91373a9a61c840f815cd4ec9
  6. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <4dfcf5087db9a34a300d6b99009232d4537c3e6a
  7. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <cda1895f3b7f324ece1614308a815a3994983b97
  8. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <d39937f8de641c44a337cec4a2e5d3e8add20a7d
  9. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <f2b41b748c19962b82709d9f23c6b2b0ce9d2f91
  10. Affected versionversion=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <f48c474efe05cf9ce5e535b5e0ddd710e963936c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.3; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <0e88505ac0a6ae97746bcdbd4b042ee9f20455ae; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <2b93c58adddd98812ad928bbc2063038f3df1ffd; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <2f98469c3141f8e42ba11075a273fb795bbad57f; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <3ac888db0f67813d91373a9a61c840f815cd4ec9; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <4dfcf5087db9a34a300d6b99009232d4537c3e6a; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <cda1895f3b7f324ece1614308a815a3994983b97; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <d39937f8de641c44a337cec4a2e5d3e8add20a7d; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <f2b41b748c19962b82709d9f23c6b2b0ce9d2f91; version=69511a452e6dc6b74fe4f3671a51b1b44b9c57e3 <f48c474efe05cf9ce5e535b5e0ddd710e963936c

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS: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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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