# CVE-2022-50239: cpufreq: qcom: fix writes in read-only memory region

> A kernel oops occurs when the Qualcomm cpufreq driver attempts to write to a read-only memory region, causing a denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50239, GHSA-gvp8-gmj5-m6g2, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50239

## What is CVE-2022-50239?

CVE-2022-50239 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

cpufreq: qcom: fix writes in read-only memory region

This commit fixes a kernel oops because of a write in some read-only memory:

	[    9.068287] Unable to handle kernel write to read-only memory at virtual address ffff800009240ad8
	..snip..
	[    9.138790] Internal error: Oops: 9600004f [#1] PREEMPT SMP
	..snip..
	[    9.269161] Call trace:
	[    9.276271]  __memcpy+0x5c/0x230
	[    9.278531]  snprintf+0x58/0x80
	[    9.282002]  qcom_cpufreq_msm8939_name_version+0xb4/0x190
	[    9.284869]  qcom_cpufreq_probe+0xc8/0x39c
	..snip..

The following line defines a pointer that point to a char buffer stored
in read-only memory:

	char *pvs_name = "speedXX-pvsXX-vXX";

This pointer is meant to hold a template "speedXX-pvsXX-vXX" where the
XX values get overridden by the qcom_cpufreq_krait_name_version function. Since
the template is actually stored in read-only memory, when the function
executes the following call we get an oops:

	snprintf(*pvs_name, sizeof("speedXX-pvsXX-vXX"), "speed%d-pvs%d-v%d",
		 speed, pvs, pvs_ver);

To fix this issue, we instead store the template name onto the stack by
using the following syntax:

	char pvs_name_buffer[] = "speedXX-pvsXX-vXX";

Because the `pvs_name` needs to be able to be assigned to NULL, the
template buffer is stored in the pvs_name_buffer and not under the
pvs_name variable.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50239?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-50239?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-50239 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-50239 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-50239 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 15 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50239 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50239/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50239/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-50239
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-50239
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-50239

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50239/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.