CVE-2022-50533

System crash via failed Wi-Fi association tracing

Published Oct 7, 2025 · Updated Oct 7, 2025

A NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel mac80211 6.0 through 6.1.1 allows local users to crash the system during failed Wi-Fi association. The tracing path assumes that ap_mld_addr or the link 0 BSS remains valid after valid_links and ap_addr are cleared, then dereferences the missing value. Reachability requires low-privileged local access, compatible Wi-Fi, and a failed association to an access point without link 0; the documented consequence is a system crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel mac80211 6.0 through 6.1.1 allows local users to crash the system during failed Wi-Fi association. The tracing path assumes that ap_mld_addr or the link 0 BSS remains valid after valid_links and ap_addr are cleared, then dereferences the missing value. Reachability requires low-privileged local access, compatible Wi-Fi, and a failed association to an access point without link 0; the documented consequence is a system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50533
Published
Oct 7, 2025
Updated
Oct 7, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 7, 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=6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <78a6a43aaf87180ec7425a2a90468e1b4d09a1ec
  3. Affected versionversion=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <bb7743955a929e44b308cc3f63f8cc03873c1bee
  4. Affected versionversion=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <c695dfba8dfb82dc7ace4f22be088916cbf621ca

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.0; version=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <78a6a43aaf87180ec7425a2a90468e1b4d09a1ec; version=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <bb7743955a929e44b308cc3f63f8cc03873c1bee; version=81151ce462e533551f3284bfdb8e0f461c9220e6 <c695dfba8dfb82dc7ace4f22be088916cbf621ca

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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.

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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