CVE-2022-49021

Kernel crash via stale driver pointer cleanup

Published Oct 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel PHY subsystem allows local users to crash the kernel after a driver probe fails. In phy_attach_direct(), a failed probe leaves dev->driver set even though knode_driver was never added to its klist, so device deletion calls klist_remove() on an uninitialized list node. Triggering the fault requires local low-privileged access and a PHY-driver probe failure; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
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 the Linux kernel PHY subsystem allows local users to crash the kernel after a driver probe fails. In phy_attach_direct(), a failed probe leaves dev->driver set even though knode_driver was never added to its klist, so device deletion calls klist_remove() on an uninitialized list node. Triggering the fault requires local low-privileged access and a PHY-driver probe failure; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49021
Published
Oct 21, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=2.6.14
  2. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <0744c7be4de564db03e24527b2e096b7e0e20972
  3. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <369eb2c9f1f72adbe91e0ea8efb130f0a2ba11a6
  4. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <3e21f85d87c836462bb52ef2078ea561260935c1
  5. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <51d7f6b20fae8bae64ad1136f1e30d1fd5ba78f7
  6. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <7730904f50c7187dd16c76949efb56b5fb55cd57
  7. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <8aaafe0f71314f46a066382a047ba8bb3840d273
  8. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <eaa5722549ac2604ffa56c2e946acc83226f130c
  9. Affected versionversion=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <fe6bc99c27c21348f548966118867ed26a9a372c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.14; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <0744c7be4de564db03e24527b2e096b7e0e20972; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <369eb2c9f1f72adbe91e0ea8efb130f0a2ba11a6; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <3e21f85d87c836462bb52ef2078ea561260935c1; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <51d7f6b20fae8bae64ad1136f1e30d1fd5ba78f7; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <7730904f50c7187dd16c76949efb56b5fb55cd57; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <8aaafe0f71314f46a066382a047ba8bb3840d273; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <eaa5722549ac2604ffa56c2e946acc83226f130c; version=e13934563db047043ccead26412f552375cea90c <fe6bc99c27c21348f548966118867ed26a9a372c

Published CVSS scores

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 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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