Linux Kernel up to 5.18.2 nvme_remove_dead_ctrl null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.2. Affected is the function nvme_remove_dead_ctrl. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2022-49492. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.18.2 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function nvme_remove_dead_ctrl. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvme-pci: fix a NULL pointer dereference in nvme_alloc_admin_tags In nvme_alloc_admin_tags, the admin_q can be set to an error (typically -ENOMEM) if the blk_mq_init_queue call fails to set up the queue, which is checked immediately after the call. However, when we return the error message up the stack, to nvme_reset_work the error takes us to nvme_remove_dead_ctrl() nvme_dev_disable() nvme_suspend_queue(&dev->queues[0]). Here, we only check that the admin_q is non-NULL, rather than not an error or NULL, and begin quiescing a queue that never existed, leading to bad / NULL pointer dereference.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2022-49492 since 02/26/2025. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 238183 (EulerOS 2.0 SP12 : kernel (EulerOS-SA-2025-1590)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.9.318, 4.14.283, 4.19.247, 5.4.198, 5.10.121, 5.15.46, 5.17.14 or 5.18.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 8321b17789f614414206af07e17ce4751c95dc76/9e649471b396fa0139d53919354ce1eace9b9a24/8da2b7bdb47e94bbc4062a3978c708926bcb022c/f76729662650cd7bc8f8194e057af381370349a7/af98940dd33c9f9e1beb4f71c0a39260100e2a65/906c81dba8ee8057523859b5e1a2479e9fd34860/7a28556082d1fbcbc599baf1c24252dfc73efefc/54a4c1e47d1b2585e74920399455bd9abbfb2bd7/da42761181627e9bdc37d18368b827948a583929 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (238183). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.9.317
• 4.14.282
• 4.19.246
• 5.4.197
• 5.10.120
• 5.15.0
• 5.15.1
• 5.15.2
• 5.15.3
• 5.15.4
• 5.15.5
• 5.15.6
• 5.15.7
• 5.15.8
• 5.15.9
• 5.15.10
• 5.15.11
• 5.15.12
• 5.15.13
• 5.15.14
• 5.15.15
• 5.15.16
• 5.15.17
• 5.15.18
• 5.15.19
• 5.15.20
• 5.15.21
• 5.15.22
• 5.15.23
• 5.15.24
• 5.15.25
• 5.15.26
• 5.15.27
• 5.15.28
• 5.15.29
• 5.15.30
• 5.15.31
• 5.15.32
• 5.15.33
• 5.15.34
• 5.15.35
• 5.15.36
• 5.15.37
• 5.15.38
• 5.15.39
• 5.15.40
• 5.15.41
• 5.15.42
• 5.15.43
• 5.15.44
• 5.15.45
• 5.17.0
• 5.17.1
• 5.17.2
• 5.17.3
• 5.17.4
• 5.17.5
• 5.17.6
• 5.17.7
• 5.17.8
• 5.17.9
• 5.17.10
• 5.17.11
• 5.17.12
• 5.17.13
• 5.18.0
• 5.18.1
• 5.18.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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