Kernel panic via uninitialized ftrace list
Published May 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the system through an ftrace function-filter control write. When kstrdup() fails while ftrace_add_mod() copies a function or module name, free_ftrace_mod() calls list_del() on an uninitialized list whose links are NULL. Reaching the fault requires write access to ftrace controls and a failed allocation; the resulting NULL-link writes trigger a kernel panic rather than data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows local users to crash the system through an ftrace function-filter control write. When kstrdup() fails while ftrace_add_mod() copies a function or module name, free_ftrace_mod() calls list_del() on an uninitialized list whose links are NULL. Reaching the fault requires write access to ftrace controls and a failed allocation; the resulting NULL-link writes trigger a kernel panic rather than data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-49802
- Published
- May 1, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 1, 2025CVE 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.13
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <19ba6c8af9382c4c05dc6a0a79af3013b9a35cd0
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <1bea037a1abb23a6729bef36a2265a4565f5ea77
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <665b4c6648bf2b91f69b33817f4321cf4c3cafe9
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <6a14828caddad0d989495a72af678adf60992704
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <6e50eb4b1807017f6c2d5089064256ce2de8aef1
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <b5bfc61f541d3f092b13dedcfe000d86eb8e133c
- Affected versionversion=673feb9d76ab3eddde7acfd94b206e321cfc90b9 <f715f31559b82e3f75ce047fa476de63d8107584
What conditions does exploitation require?
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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