CVE-2022-50720
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/apic: Don't disable x2APIC if locked The APIC supports two modes, legacy APIC (or xAPIC), and Extended APIC (or x2APIC).
Overview
CVE-2022-50720 is a known-severity vulnerability. It was published on December 24, 2025.
Technical description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
x86/apic: Don't disable x2APIC if locked
The APIC supports two modes, legacy APIC (or xAPIC), and Extended APIC
(or x2APIC). X2APIC mode is mostly compatible with legacy APIC, but
it disables the memory-mapped APIC interface in favor of one that uses
MSRs. The APIC mode is controlled by the EXT bit in the APIC MSR.
The MMIO/xAPIC interface has some problems, most notably the APIC LEAK
[1]. This bug allows an attacker to use the APIC MMIO interface to
extract data from the SGX enclave.
Introduce support for a new feature that will allow the BIOS to lock
the APIC in x2APIC mode. If the APIC is locked in x2APIC mode and the
kernel tries to disable the APIC or revert to legacy APIC mode a GP
fault will occur.
Introduce support for a new MSR (IA32_XAPIC_DISABLE_STATUS) and handle
the new locked mode when the LEGACY_XAPIC_DISABLED bit is set by
preventing the kernel from trying to disable the x2APIC.
On platforms w
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
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Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2022-50720?
CVE-2022-50720 is a known-severity vulnerability. It was published on December 24, 2025.
How severe is CVE-2022-50720?
CVSS score information is not yet available for this vulnerability. Check back as the CVE record is updated by NVD analysts.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2022-50720?
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2022-50720?
CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2022-50720 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.