CVE-2022-50402

Local kernel crash via unchecked bitmap counter

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated Sep 18, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel md bitmap code allows local users to crash the system during bitmap-backed array I/O. md_bitmap_startwrite() and md_bitmap_endwrite() dereference a counter pointer returned by md_bitmap_get_counter() without checking for NULL after bitmap-page lookup failure. Low-privileged local access and an md array using a write-intent bitmap are required; the documented consequence is a kernel crash only.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.16%
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 md bitmap code allows local users to crash the system during bitmap-backed array I/O. md_bitmap_startwrite() and md_bitmap_endwrite() dereference a counter pointer returned by md_bitmap_get_counter() without checking for NULL after bitmap-page lookup failure. Low-privileged local access and an md array using a write-intent bitmap are required; the documented consequence is a kernel crash only.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50402
Published
Sep 18, 2025
Updated
Sep 18, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 18, 2025Record 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <100caacfa0ed26e061954c90cdc835d42f709536
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <21e9aac9a74d30907d44bae0d24c036cb3819406
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3bd548e5b819b8c0f2c9085de775c5c7bff9052f
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5d8d046f3dba939e74e2414f009df426700430ed
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <99bef41f8e8d1d52b5cb34f2f193f1346192752b
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b621d17fe8b079574c773800148fb86907f3445d
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ff3b7e12bc9f50de05c9d82b5b79e23e5be888f1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <100caacfa0ed26e061954c90cdc835d42f709536; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <21e9aac9a74d30907d44bae0d24c036cb3819406; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3bd548e5b819b8c0f2c9085de775c5c7bff9052f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5d8d046f3dba939e74e2414f009df426700430ed; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <99bef41f8e8d1d52b5cb34f2f193f1346192752b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b621d17fe8b079574c773800148fb86907f3445d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ff3b7e12bc9f50de05c9d82b5b79e23e5be888f1

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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