CVE-2022-50004

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: policy: fix metadata dst->dev xmit null pointer dereference When we try to transmit an skb with metadata_dst attached (i.e. dst->dev == NULL) through xfrm interface we can hit a null pointer dereference[1] in xfrmi_xmit2() -> xfrm_lookup_with_ifid() due to the check for a loopback skb device when there's no policy which dereferences dst->dev unconditionally. Not having dst->dev can be interepreted as it not being a loopback device, so just add a check for a null dst_orig->dev. With this fix xfrm interface's Tx error counters go up as usual. [1] net-next calltrace captured via netconsole: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000c0 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP CPU: 1 PID: 7231 Comm: ping Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.19.0+ #24 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.0-1.fc36 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:xfrm_lookup_with_ifid+0x5eb/0xa60 Code: 8d 74 24 38 e8 26 a4 37 00 48 89 c1 e9 12 fc ff ff 49 63 ed 41 83 fd be 0f 85 be 01 00 00 41 be ff ff ff ff 45 31 ed 48 8b 03 <f6> 80 c0 00 00 00 08 75 0f 41 80 bc 24 19 0d 00 00 01 0f 84 1e 02 RSP: 0018:ffffb0db82c679f0 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffd0db7fcad430 RCX: ffffb0db82c67a10 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: ffffb0db82c67a80 RBP: ffffb0db82c67a80 R08: ffffb0db82c67a14 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: ffff8fa449667dc8 R12: ffffffff966db880 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 00000000ffffffff R15: 0000000000000000 FS: 00007ff35c83f000(0000) GS:ffff8fa478480000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00000000000000c0 CR3: 000000001ebb7000 CR4: 0000000000350ee0 Call Trace: <TASK> xfrmi_xmit+0xde/0x460 ? tcf_bpf_act+0x13d/0x2a0 dev_hard_start_xmit+0x72/0x1e0 __dev_queue_xmit+0x251/0xd30 ip_finish_output2+0x140/0x550 ip_push_pending_frames+0x56/0x80 raw_sendmsg+0x663/0x10a0 ? try_charge_memcg+0x3fd/0x7a0 ? __mod_memcg_lruvec_state+0x93/0x110 ? sock_sendmsg+0x30/0x40 sock_sendmsg+0x30/0x40 __sys_sendto+0xeb/0x130 ? handle_mm_fault+0xae/0x280 ? do_user_addr_fault+0x1e7/0x680 ? kvm_read_and_reset_apf_flags+0x3b/0x50 __x64_sys_sendto+0x20/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x34/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 RIP: 0033:0x7ff35cac1366 Code: eb 0b 00 f7 d8 64 89 02 48 c7 c0 ff ff ff ff eb b8 0f 1f 00 41 89 ca 64 8b 04 25 18 00 00 00 85 c0 75 11 b8 2c 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 00 f0 ff ff 77 72 c3 90 55 48 83 ec 30 44 89 4c 24 2c 4c 89 RSP: 002b:00007fff738e4028 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002c RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007fff738e57b0 RCX: 00007ff35cac1366 RDX: 0000000000000040 RSI: 0000557164e4b450 RDI: 0000000000000003 RBP: 0000557164e4b450 R08: 00007fff738e7a2c R09: 0000000000000010 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000040 R13: 00007fff738e5770 R14: 00007fff738e4030 R15: 0000001d00000001 </TASK> Modules linked in: netconsole veth br_netfilter bridge bonding virtio_net [last unloaded: netconsole] CR2: 00000000000000c0

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-06-18
Last modified 2025-11-14
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-2022-50004 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 5.10.118, 5.15 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.10.140, 5.15.64, 5.19.6, 6.0 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.10.118 ≥ 5.15
Fixed in
✓ 5.10.140 5.10.x ✓ 5.15.64 5.15.x ✓ 5.19.6 5.19.x ✓ 6.0

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2022-50004 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-2022-50004?

    CVE-2022-50004 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 5.10.118 onward and has been patched in 5.10.140, 5.15.64, 5.19.6 and others. CVE-2022-50004 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2022-50004?

    CVE-2022-50004 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-2022-50004?

    Yes — CVE-2022-50004 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.140, 5.15.64, 5.19.6 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.10.118 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2022-50004 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2022-50004 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 →