CVE-2022-50867: 
Linux Kernel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2022-50867 is a memory management vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DRM/MSM Adreno GPU driver (drm/msm/a6xx) involving incorrect use of kvzalloc versus state_kcalloc allocation helpers. The flaw was introduced by commit ec8f1813bf8d and results in a memory leak when adreno_show_object() re-allocates a pointer using kvmalloc/kvfree() that was originally allocated with state_kcalloc() (which does not use kvmalloc-compatible memory). It affects Linux kernel versions between commits b859f9b009bb and ec8f1813bf8d (stable branches up to 6.0.x), with fixes backported to stable releases including 6.0.7 and 6.1. The CVE was published on December 30, 2025, and carries an EPSS score of approximately 0.018% (very low), with no CVSS base score assigned (Feedly).

The root cause is a mismatched memory allocator usage (CWE-401: Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime / memory leak). The adreno_show_object() function in the Adreno a6xx GPU state capture path re-allocates its input pointer using kvmalloc/kvfree() during ascii85 encoding on first call. However, commit ec8f1813bf8d changed the allocation in state_kcalloc() to use kvzalloc() without ensuring the corresponding free path used kvfree(), and without ensuring compatibility with adreno_show_object()'s internal reallocation. The fix (commit ecd63b2fbabc) partially reverts the problematic commit, restores the correct allocator pairing, adds the missing kvfree() call to address the pre-existing memory leak, and adds a warning comment to prevent future misuse (Feedly).

The primary impact is a kernel memory leak in the drm/msm/a6xx GPU state capture subsystem, which can cause gradual exhaustion of kernel memory on systems using Qualcomm Adreno a6xx GPUs (e.g., devices running Snapdragon SoCs). This could degrade system stability and availability over time, particularly when GPU state dumps are triggered repeatedly. There is no known confidentiality or integrity impact, and exploitation requires local access to trigger the GPU state capture path.

Apply the upstream Linux kernel fix introduced in commit ecd63b2fbabc8fd6e5355c25fe1e186a74fa5272, which corrects the allocator mismatch and adds the missing kvfree(). Stable kernel releases 6.0.7 and 6.1 include the fix. Users running affected kernel versions on Qualcomm Adreno a6xx GPU hardware should update to a patched kernel version. No configuration-based workaround is known; upgrading the kernel is the recommended remediation (Feedly).