Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2 mlxsw_sp_port null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function mlxsw_sp_port. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2022-49134. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.17.2. This affects the function mlxsw_sp_port. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as 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. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mlxsw: spectrum: Guard against invalid local ports When processing events generated by the device's firmware, the driver protects itself from events reported for non-existent local ports, but not for the CPU port (local port 0), which exists, but does not have all the fields as any local port. This can result in a NULL pointer dereference when trying access 'struct mlxsw_sp_port' fields which are not initialized for CPU port. Commit 63b08b1f6834 ("mlxsw: spectrum: Protect driver from buggy firmware") already handled such issue by bailing early when processing a PUDE event reported for the CPU port. Generalize the approach by moving the check to a common function and making use of it in all relevant places.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2022-49134 since 02/26/2025. The exploitability is told to be easy. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 232643 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:0834-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.17.3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 4cad27ba2e5a5843a7fab5aa30de2b8e8c3db3a8/bcdfd615f83b4bd04678109bf18022d1476e4bbf 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 (232643). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.17.0
• 5.17.1
• 5.17.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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