Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 cxl null pointer dereference

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5.5	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component cxl. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2022-50481. No exploit is available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.1. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown part of the component cxl. 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. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cxl: fix possible null-ptr-deref in cxl_guest_init_afu|adapter() If device_register() fails in cxl_register_afu|adapter(), the device is not added, device_unregister() can not be called in the error path, otherwise it will cause a null-ptr-deref because of removing not added device. As comment of device_register() says, it should use put_device() to give up the reference in the error path. So split device_unregister() into device_del() and put_device(), then goes to put dev when register fails.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2022-50481 since 10/04/2025. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 276910 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4189-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 4.9.337, 4.14.303, 4.19.270, 5.4.229, 5.10.163, 5.15.86, 6.0.16 or 6.1.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 96fba6fb95bdede80583c262ac185da09661f264/1ae581696b7a799afa39a664c4b721569643f58a/d775a1da5a52b4f4bb02f2707ba420d1bec48dbb/60b2ed21a65f3f5318666ccd765c3507991370cf/170e8c2d2b61e15e7f7cfeded81bc1e959a15ed8/e5021bbf11b024cc65ea1e84c377df484183be4b/b32559ee4e6667c5c3daf4ec5454c277d1f255d2/ab44c182353be101c3be9465e1d15d42130c53c4/61c80d1c3833e196256fb060382db94f24d3d9a7 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 databases at Tenable (276910) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2194). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Google Cloud Platform
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 4.9.336
• 4.14.302
• 4.19.269
• 5.4.228
• 5.10.162
• 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
• 5.15.46
• 5.15.47
• 5.15.48
• 5.15.49
• 5.15.50
• 5.15.51
• 5.15.52
• 5.15.53
• 5.15.54
• 5.15.55
• 5.15.56
• 5.15.57
• 5.15.58
• 5.15.59
• 5.15.60
• 5.15.61
• 5.15.62
• 5.15.63
• 5.15.64
• 5.15.65
• 5.15.66
• 5.15.67
• 5.15.68
• 5.15.69
• 5.15.70
• 5.15.71
• 5.15.72
• 5.15.73
• 5.15.74
• 5.15.75
• 5.15.76
• 5.15.77
• 5.15.78
• 5.15.79
• 5.15.80
• 5.15.81
• 5.15.82
• 5.15.83
• 5.15.84
• 5.15.85
• 6.0.0
• 6.0.1
• 6.0.2
• 6.0.3
• 6.0.4
• 6.0.5
• 6.0.6
• 6.0.7
• 6.0.8
• 6.0.9
• 6.0.10
• 6.0.11
• 6.0.12
• 6.0.13
• 6.0.14
• 6.0.15
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
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CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.6
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 276910
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4189-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 4.9.337/4.14.303/4.19.270/5.4.229/5.10.163/5.15.86/6.0.16/6.1.2
Patch: 96fba6fb95bdede80583c262ac185da09661f264/1ae581696b7a799afa39a664c4b721569643f58a/d775a1da5a52b4f4bb02f2707ba420d1bec48dbb/60b2ed21a65f3f5318666ccd765c3507991370cf/170e8c2d2b61e15e7f7cfeded81bc1e959a15ed8/e5021bbf11b024cc65ea1e84c377df484183be4b/b32559ee4e6667c5c3daf4ec5454c277d1f255d2/ab44c182353be101c3be9465e1d15d42130c53c4/61c80d1c3833e196256fb060382db94f24d3d9a7

Timelineinfo

10/04/2025 Advisory disclosed
10/04/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
10/04/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/01/2026 +148 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2022-50481 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2022-50481
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-327085
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2194 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/04/2025 18:02
Updated: 03/01/2026 14:59
Changes: 10/04/2025 18:02 (58), 10/07/2025 08:05 (7), 11/23/2025 07:40 (1), 11/27/2025 11:04 (2), 12/26/2025 05:41 (1), 01/24/2026 11:14 (10), 03/01/2026 14:59 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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