CVE-2022-49523

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ath11k: disable spectral scan during spectral deinit When ath11k modules are removed using rmmod with spectral scan enabled, crash is observed. Different crash trace is observed for each crash. Send spectral scan disable WMI command to firmware before cleaning the spectral dbring in the spectral_deinit API to avoid this crash. call trace from one of the crash observed: [ 1252.880802] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000008 [ 1252.882722] pgd = 0f42e886 [ 1252.890955] [00000008] *pgd=00000000 [ 1252.893478] Internal error: Oops: 5 [#1] PREEMPT SMP ARM [ 1253.093035] CPU: 0 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 5.4.89 #0 [ 1253.115261] Hardware name: Generic DT based system [ 1253.121149] PC is at ath11k_spectral_process_data+0x434/0x574 [ath11k] [ 1253.125940] LR is at 0x88e31017 [ 1253.132448] pc : [<7f9387b8>] lr : [<88e31017>] psr: a0000193 [ 1253.135488] sp : 80d01bc8 ip : 00000001 fp : 970e0000 [ 1253.141737] r10: 88e31000 r9 : 970ec000 r8 : 00000080 [ 1253.146946] r7 : 94734040 r6 : a0000113 r5 : 00000057 r4 : 00000000 [ 1253.152159] r3 : e18cb694 r2 : 00000217 r1 : 1df1f000 r0 : 00000001 [ 1253.158755] Flags: NzCv IRQs off FIQs on Mode SVC_32 ISA ARM Segment user [ 1253.165266] Control: 10c0383d Table: 5e71006a DAC: 00000055 [ 1253.172472] Process swapper/0 (pid: 0, stack limit = 0x60870141) [ 1253.458055] [<7f9387b8>] (ath11k_spectral_process_data [ath11k]) from [<7f917fdc>] (ath11k_dbring_buffer_release_event+0x214/0x2e4 [ath11k]) [ 1253.466139] [<7f917fdc>] (ath11k_dbring_buffer_release_event [ath11k]) from [<7f8ea3c4>] (ath11k_wmi_tlv_op_rx+0x1840/0x29cc [ath11k]) [ 1253.478807] [<7f8ea3c4>] (ath11k_wmi_tlv_op_rx [ath11k]) from [<7f8fe868>] (ath11k_htc_rx_completion_handler+0x180/0x4e0 [ath11k]) [ 1253.490699] [<7f8fe868>] (ath11k_htc_rx_completion_handler [ath11k]) from [<7f91308c>] (ath11k_ce_per_engine_service+0x2c4/0x3b4 [ath11k]) [ 1253.502386] [<7f91308c>] (ath11k_ce_per_engine_service [ath11k]) from [<7f9a4198>] (ath11k_pci_ce_tasklet+0x28/0x80 [ath11k_pci]) [ 1253.514811] [<7f9a4198>] (ath11k_pci_ce_tasklet [ath11k_pci]) from [<8032227c>] (tasklet_action_common.constprop.2+0x64/0xe8) [ 1253.526476] [<8032227c>] (tasklet_action_common.constprop.2) from [<803021e8>] (__do_softirq+0x130/0x2d0) [ 1253.537756] [<803021e8>] (__do_softirq) from [<80322610>] (irq_exit+0xcc/0xe8) [ 1253.547304] [<80322610>] (irq_exit) from [<8036a4a4>] (__handle_domain_irq+0x60/0xb4) [ 1253.554428] [<8036a4a4>] (__handle_domain_irq) from [<805eb348>] (gic_handle_irq+0x4c/0x90) [ 1253.562321] [<805eb348>] (gic_handle_irq) from [<80301a78>] (__irq_svc+0x58/0x8c) Tested-on: QCN6122 hw1.0 AHB WLAN.HK.2.6.0.1-00851-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-02-26
Last modified 2025-10-01
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10
Medium
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-476

CVE-2022-49523 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability

What is NULL Pointer Dereference?

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 5.6 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.10.121, 5.15.46, 5.17.14, 5.18.3, 5.19 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.6
Fixed in
✓ 5.10.121 5.10.x ✓ 5.15.46 5.15.x ✓ 5.17.14 5.17.x ✓ 5.18.3 5.18.x ✓ 5.19

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2022-49523 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2022-49523?

    CVE-2022-49523 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 5.6 onward and has been patched in 5.10.121, 5.15.46, 5.17.14 and others. CVE-2022-49523 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2022-49523?

    CVE-2022-49523 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2022-49523?

    Yes — CVE-2022-49523 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.121, 5.15.46, 5.17.14 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.6 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2022-49523 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2022-49523 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?

    The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →