CVE-2022-50172: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2022-50172 is a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mt76x02u wireless driver, specifically in the __mt76x02u_mcu_send_msg routine, where an socket buffer (skb) is not freed when mt76u_bulk_msg fails. It affects Linux kernel versions 4.20 through 5.10.136, 5.11 through 5.15.60, 5.16 through 5.18.17, and 5.19 through 5.19.1. The vulnerability was published on June 18, 2025, and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (Medium) (Feedly).

The root cause is classified as CWE-401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime). In the __mt76x02u_mcu_send_msg function within the mt76x02u USB wireless driver, when the mt76u_bulk_msg call fails, the code path does not execute the necessary dev_kfree_skb (or equivalent) to release the allocated socket buffer, resulting in a kernel memory leak. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges, as an attacker must be able to trigger the relevant driver code path repeatedly to cause memory exhaustion (Feedly, Kernel Patch).

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to gradual kernel memory exhaustion on systems using mt76x02u-based USB wireless adapters. The primary impact is on availability — repeated triggering of the leak can degrade system performance, cause instability, or result in a denial-of-service condition. There is no confidentiality or integrity impact associated with this vulnerability (Feedly).

There is no public proof-of-concept exploit available, and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation has been reported. The EPSS score is approximately 0.018%, indicating a very low probability of exploitation in the near term. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges and the presence of an mt76x02u-based USB wireless device (Feedly).

Patches are available for multiple Linux kernel stable branches. Users should update to kernel versions 5.10.137 or later, 5.15.61 or later, 5.18.18 or later, or 5.19.2 or later, depending on their branch. For systems that cannot be immediately patched, administrators should monitor kernel memory usage, restrict local user access, and consider implementing kernel module loading restrictions to limit exposure to the vulnerable driver (Feedly, Kernel Patch).

SUSE issued a security advisory (SUSE-2025-02308-1) addressing this and other Linux kernel vulnerabilities, rated as Important (Linux Security). No notable independent researcher commentary or significant social media discussion has been identified for this vulnerability.