CVE-2022-21546

Kernel crash via bufferless WRITE SAME command

Published May 2, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux SCSI target code before 5.19 allows local users to crash the kernel via a bufferless WRITE SAME command. The target_core_iblock and target_core_file WRITE SAME handlers dereference se_cmd->t_data_sg when NDOB or zero scatter-gather elements supply no data buffer. Exploitation requires access to a configured SCSI target, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash rather than data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.43%
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 SCSI target code before 5.19 allows local users to crash the kernel via a bufferless WRITE SAME command. The target_core_iblock and target_core_file WRITE SAME handlers dereference se_cmd->t_data_sg when NDOB or zero scatter-gather elements supply no data buffer. Exploitation requires access to a configured SCSI target, and the documented consequence is a kernel crash rather than data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-21546
Published
May 2, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 2, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record 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=3.8
  2. Affected versionversion=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <4226622647e3e5ac06d3ebc1605b917446157510
  3. Affected versionversion=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <54e57be2573cf0b8bf650375fd8752987b6c3d3b
  4. Affected versionversion=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <ccd3f449052449a917a3e577d8ba0368f43b8f29
  5. Affected versionversion=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <d8e6a27e9238dd294d6f2f401655f300dca20899

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.8; version=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <4226622647e3e5ac06d3ebc1605b917446157510; version=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <54e57be2573cf0b8bf650375fd8752987b6c3d3b; version=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <ccd3f449052449a917a3e577d8ba0368f43b8f29; version=f6970ad31d42fceb38b5595cbad093a4d0bfcc43 <d8e6a27e9238dd294d6f2f401655f300dca20899

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
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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