# CVE-2022-38096: There is a NULL pointer vulnerability in vmwgfx driver

> A local attacker can exploit a NULL pointer dereference in the vmwgfx driver to escalate privileges or cause a denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-10901, AZL-34861, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-38096, GHSA-4vrg-gm73-c852, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-38096

## What is CVE-2022-38096?

CVE-2022-38096 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 Sep 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability was found in vmwgfx driver in drivers/gpu/vmxgfx/vmxgfx_execbuf.c in GPU component of Linux kernel with device file '/dev/dri/renderD128 (or Dxxx)'. This flaw allows a local attacker with a user account on the system to gain privilege, causing a denial of service(DoS).

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-38096?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-38096?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-38096 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-38096 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-38096 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-38096 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 Sep 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-38096 exists.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38096/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38096/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38096
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-38096
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-38096

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38096/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.