# CVE-2022-49090: arch/arm64: Fix topology initialization for core scheduling

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel arm64 scheduler causes a system crash when core scheduling is used.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49090, GHSA-vpjp-wpjg-xv5m, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49090

## What is CVE-2022-49090?

CVE-2022-49090 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 26 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

arch/arm64: Fix topology initialization for core scheduling

Arm64 systems rely on store_cpu_topology() to call update_siblings_masks()
to transfer the toplogy to the various cpu masks. This needs to be done
before the call to notify_cpu_starting() which tells the scheduler about
each cpu found, otherwise the core scheduling data structures are setup
in a way that does not match the actual topology.

With smt_mask not setup correctly we bail on `cpumask_weight(smt_mask) == 1`
for !leaders in:

 notify_cpu_starting()
   cpuhp_invoke_callback_range()
     sched_cpu_starting()
       sched_core_cpu_starting()

which leads to rq->core not being correctly set for !leader-rq's.

Without this change stress-ng (which enables core scheduling in its prctl
tests in newer versions -- i.e. with PR_SCHED_CORE support) causes a warning
and then a crash (trimmed for legibility):

[ 1853.805168] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[ 1853.809784] task_rq(b)->core != rq->core
[ 1853.809792] WARNING: CPU: 117 PID: 0 at kernel/sched/fair.c:11102 cfs_prio_less+0x1b4/0x1c4
...
[ 1854.015210] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000010
...
[ 1854.231256] Call trace:
[ 1854.233689]  pick_next_task+0x3dc/0x81c
[ 1854.237512]  __schedule+0x10c/0x4cc
[ 1854.240988]  schedule_idle+0x34/0x54

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49090?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49090?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-49090 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49090 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2022-49090 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-49090 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 26 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49090 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2022-49090/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49090/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49090
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49090
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49090

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49090/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.