Kernel crash via freed NAPI reuse
Published Jul 16, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux ibmvnic driver allows local users with administrative privileges to crash the kernel through IBM vNIC resets. On an open error, __ibmvnic_open() calls release_resources() and frees NAPI structures that reset callers later pass to napi_enable(). The demonstrated path requires repeated privileged drmgr add/remove operations on a PowerVM IBM vNIC; the reported consequence is a NULL dereference and kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux ibmvnic driver allows local users with administrative privileges to crash the kernel through IBM vNIC resets. On an open error, __ibmvnic_open() calls release_resources() and frees NAPI structures that reset callers later pass to napi_enable(). The demonstrated path requires repeated privileged drmgr add/remove operations on a PowerVM IBM vNIC; the reported consequence is a NULL dereference and kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-48811
- Published
- Jul 16, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 16, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=4.12
- Affected versionversion=ed651a10875f13135a5f59c1bae4d51b377b3925 <61772b0908c640d0309c40f7d41d062ca4e979fa
- Affected versionversion=ed651a10875f13135a5f59c1bae4d51b377b3925 <960dfaf3b578dd23af012590e809ae2d58ba1827
- Affected versionversion=ed651a10875f13135a5f59c1bae4d51b377b3925 <e08cb9056fb2564d1f6bad789bdf79ab09bf2f81
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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