CVE-2022-49864 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 05/01/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm/amdkfd: Fix NULL pointer dereference in svm_migrate_to_ram()
./drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdkfd/kfd_migrate.c:985:58-62: ERROR: p is NULL but dereferenced.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2022-49864 represents a critical null pointer dereference flaw within the AMD Kernel Driver Framework component of the Linux kernel. This issue specifically affects the svm_migrate_to_ram() function located in the drm/amdkfd subsystem, which handles memory management operations for AMD GPU devices. The flaw occurs during the migration of memory pages to RAM, where the code attempts to dereference a pointer p that may be null, leading to potential system crashes or unauthorized access conditions. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-476 as a NULL pointer dereference, which represents a fundamental programming error that can result in system instability or exploitation by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the memory migration process. When the svm_migrate_to_ram() function processes memory operations for AMD GPU systems, it fails to properly check whether certain pointer variables have been initialized before attempting to access their contents. This particular code path in drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdkfd/kfd_migrate.c at line 985 exhibits a clear violation of safe programming practices where the pointer p is used without null checks. The error occurs in the context of shared virtual memory management, which is critical for GPU computing operations and memory sharing between CPU and GPU components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially enable privilege escalation and denial of service conditions within systems utilizing AMD GPU hardware. Attackers could exploit this null pointer dereference to cause system instability or potentially gain elevated privileges through carefully crafted memory operations targeting the AMD GPU subsystem. The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels with AMD GPU support and could be particularly dangerous in server environments or high-performance computing scenarios where GPU memory management is heavily utilized. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 by enabling local privilege escalation through kernel-level memory corruption vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-49864 should prioritize immediate kernel updates from trusted sources, as the fix has been incorporated into subsequent kernel releases. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual system behavior or kernel oops messages that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing runtime protections such as kernel address space layout randomization and stack canaries to reduce exploit reliability. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of thorough code review processes for kernel subsystems, particularly those handling memory management operations. Regular security audits of GPU driver components and adherence to secure coding practices can prevent similar issues in future implementations. Organizations should also maintain updated threat intelligence feeds to monitor for any exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability in their AMD GPU environments.