CVE-2022-1852

Host crash via undecoded x86 emulation

Published Jun 30, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel KVM allows guest OS users to crash the host by executing an illegal x86 instruction. x86_decode_emulated_instruction misreads a breakpoint handler's zero return as EMULATION_OK, so x86_emulate_instruction runs with an undecoded, stale context and dereferences a null callback. Reachability requires an Intel x86 KVM guest and control of guest instructions; the host-kernel crash interrupts every workload dependent on that host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
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 by executing an illegal x86 instruction. x86_decode_emulated_instruction misreads a breakpoint handler's zero return as EMULATION_OK, so x86_emulate_instruction runs with an undecoded, stale context and dereferences a null callback. Reachability requires an Intel x86 KVM guest and control of guest instructions; the host-kernel crash interrupts every workload dependent on that host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-1852
Published
Jun 30, 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. Jun 30, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=kernel 5.19 rc1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=kernel 5.19 rc1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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