CVE-2022-50250 regulator: core: fix use_count leakage when handling boot-on
A use_count leakage in the Linux kernel regulator core prevents disabling boot-on regulators, potentially leading to resource exhaustion or denial of service.
- 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
What is CVE-2022-50250?
CVE-2022-50250 is a medium-severity 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:
regulator: core: fix use_count leakage when handling boot-on
I found a use_count leakage towards supply regulator of rdev with boot-on option.
┌───────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────┐ │ regulator_dev A │ │ regulator_dev B │ │ (boot-on) │ │ (boot-on) │ │ use_count=0 │◀──supply──│ use_count=1 │ │ │ │ │ └───────────────────┘ └───────────────────┘
In case of rdev(A) configured with `regulator-boot-on', the use_count of supplying regulator(B) will increment inside regulator_enable(rdev->supply).
Thus, B will acts like always-on, and further balanced regulator_enable/disable cannot actually disable it anymore.
However, B was also configured with `regulator-boot-on', we wish it could be disabled afterwards.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50250?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50250?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2022-50250 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50250 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50250, GHSA-v49x-f2vh-6pj7, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50250.