CVE-2022-49797

Local kernel crash via unchecked error pointer

Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 5.6 through 6.1-rc5 allows local users to crash the kernel by unloading a kprobe test module. When trace_get_event_file() fails, kprobe_event_gen_test_exit() dereferences gen_kprobe_test or gen_kretprobe_test without first rejecting an error pointer or NULL. Low-privileged local access is required, and the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash with no confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
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 5.6 through 6.1-rc5 allows local users to crash the kernel by unloading a kprobe test module. When trace_get_event_file() fails, kprobe_event_gen_test_exit() dereferences gen_kprobe_test or gen_kretprobe_test without first rejecting an error pointer or NULL. Low-privileged local access is required, and the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash with no confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-49797
Published
May 1, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 1, 2025CVE 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=5.6
  2. Affected versionversion=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <3a41c0f2a5c3bf72b4c4e9dd4b1025378201e332
  3. Affected versionversion=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <bb70fcae4115d24b7e8cee17a6da8b1943f546bb
  4. Affected versionversion=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <e0d75267f59d7084e0468bd68beeb1bf9c71d7c0
  5. Affected versionversion=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <fd0efd4f7bfe611a8339ba01bc2ac3c33e79159d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.6; version=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <3a41c0f2a5c3bf72b4c4e9dd4b1025378201e332; version=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <bb70fcae4115d24b7e8cee17a6da8b1943f546bb; version=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <e0d75267f59d7084e0468bd68beeb1bf9c71d7c0; version=64836248dda20c8e7427b493f7e06d9bf8f58850 <fd0efd4f7bfe611a8339ba01bc2ac3c33e79159d

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS: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

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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
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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