CVE-2022-50206
BaseFortify
Publication date: 2025-06-18
Last updated on: 2025-11-19
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-476 | The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability is a race condition in the Linux kernel's arm64 architecture related to concurrently setting insn_emulation sysctls. Specifically, the emulation_proc_handler() function changes a pointer (table->data) and if called concurrently, it can cause a kernel NULL pointer dereference leading to an Oops (kernel crash). The issue arises because table->data is modified without proper synchronization, causing invalid memory access during concurrent operations.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash (kernel Oops) due to a NULL pointer dereference when certain sysctl settings are changed concurrently. This can lead to system instability, potential denial of service, and unexpected reboots on affected arm64 Linux systems.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, update the Linux kernel to a version where the issue is fixed. The fix involves keeping the table->data as &insn->current_mode and using container_of() to retrieve the insn pointer, along with proper mutex protection. Applying the official kernel patch or upgrading to the patched kernel version will prevent the kernel oops caused by concurrent calls to emulation_proc_handler().