CVE-2022-1789

Host crash via unchecked INVPCID callback

Published May 31, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel KVM allows guest OS users to crash the host via an INVPCID instruction with paging disabled. With shadow paging enabled, kvm_mmu_invpcid_gva calls an unset invlpg callback instead of checking it before invalidating a guest address. Reaching the flaw requires control of an x86 guest VM that can issue INVPCID while CR0.PG is clear; the bounded consequence is a host operating-system crash.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel KVM allows guest OS users to crash the host via an INVPCID instruction with paging disabled. With shadow paging enabled, kvm_mmu_invpcid_gva calls an unset invlpg callback instead of checking it before invalidating a guest address. Reaching the flaw requires control of an x86 guest VM that can issue INVPCID while CR0.PG is clear; the bounded consequence is a host operating-system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-1789
Published
May 31, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 31, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=no patch information available yet

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=no patch information available yet

Published CVSS scores

6.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
6.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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