CVE-2022-2153Public exploit

Host crash via unchecked KVM APIC pointer

Published Aug 31, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel KVM before 5.18 allows local users to crash the host kernel through crafted ioctl calls. KVM creates a vCPU without an in-kernel APIC, then kvm_hv_process_stimers reaches kvm_irq_delivery_to_apic_fast and dereferences the NULL APIC pointer. Access to /dev/kvm and a Hyper-V SynIC synthetic-timer setup are required; triggering the path causes a kernel oops and host service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.47%
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 before 5.18 allows local users to crash the host kernel through crafted ioctl calls. KVM creates a vCPU without an in-kernel APIC, then kvm_hv_process_stimers reaches kvm_irq_delivery_to_apic_fast and dereferences the NULL APIC pointer. Access to /dev/kvm and a Hyper-V SynIC synthetic-timer setup are required; triggering the path causes a kernel oops and host service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2153
Published
Aug 31, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=kernel 5.18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=kernel 5.18

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

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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