CVE-2022-50520

5.5 MEDIUM

📋 TL;DR

This is a Linux kernel memory leak vulnerability in the Radeon graphics driver. When the radeon_atrm_get_bios() function fails to properly release PCI device references, it causes a refcount leak that can lead to system instability or denial of service. Systems using affected Radeon graphics hardware with vulnerable kernel versions are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:
  • Linux kernel with Radeon DRM driver
Versions: Specific kernel versions containing the vulnerable code (check git commits for exact ranges)
Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions
Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes
Notes: Only affects systems with Radeon graphics hardware where the radeon_atrm_get_bios() function is called. Systems without Radeon GPUs or using different graphics drivers are not affected.

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Sustained exploitation could exhaust kernel memory resources, leading to system crashes, kernel panics, or denial of service conditions.

🟠

Likely Case

Gradual memory exhaustion over time causing system instability, performance degradation, or eventual crashes requiring reboots.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact with proper monitoring and patching; memory leaks would be contained and detected before causing system issues.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - This is a local kernel vulnerability requiring local access or existing system compromise to trigger.
🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Internal users or compromised accounts could exploit this to destabilize systems, but requires local access.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No
Weaponized: UNKNOWN
Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No
Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger the vulnerable code path. This is a reliability issue rather than a privilege escalation or remote code execution vulnerability.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing the git commits referenced in the CVE

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1079df6acf56f99d86b0081a38c84701412cc90e

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update Linux kernel to a patched version. 2. Check distribution-specific security advisories. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable Radeon driver module

linux

Prevent loading of the vulnerable radeon kernel module

echo 'blacklist radeon' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot

🧯 If You Can't Patch

  • Monitor system memory usage and kernel logs for signs of memory exhaustion
  • Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable configurations

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if radeon module is loaded: uname -r && lsmod | grep radeon

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated beyond vulnerable commits and check dmesg for no related errors

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

  • Kernel oops messages
  • Out of memory errors in dmesg
  • System instability reports

Network Indicators:

  • None - this is a local vulnerability

SIEM Query:

Search for kernel panic logs, memory allocation failures, or system crash reports

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2022-50520
CVSS v3 Score: 5.5 (MEDIUM)
CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Published: October 7, 2025
Last Updated: February 5, 2026

🤖 AI-assisted analysis, reviewed for accuracy

🔗 References

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