# CVE-2022-49886: x86/tdx: Panic on bad configs that #VE on "private" memory access

> A misconfiguration in Intel TDX virtualization can cause the Linux kernel to panic when handling virtualization exceptions on private memory.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 May 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-49886, GHSA-8ww3-pfqc-q6wm, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-49886

## What is CVE-2022-49886?

CVE-2022-49886 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 May 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:

x86/tdx: Panic on bad configs that #VE on "private" memory access

All normal kernel memory is "TDX private memory".  This includes
everything from kernel stacks to kernel text.  Handling
exceptions on arbitrary accesses to kernel memory is essentially
impossible because they can happen in horribly nasty places like
kernel entry/exit.  But, TDX hardware can theoretically _deliver_
a virtualization exception (#VE) on any access to private memory.

But, it's not as bad as it sounds.  TDX can be configured to never
deliver these exceptions on private memory with a "TD attribute"
called ATTR_SEPT_VE_DISABLE.  The guest has no way to *set* this
attribute, but it can check it.

Ensure ATTR_SEPT_VE_DISABLE is set in early boot.  panic() if it
is unset.  There is no sane way for Linux to run with this
attribute clear so a panic() is appropriate.

There's small window during boot before the check where kernel
has an early #VE handler. But the handler is only for port I/O
and will also panic() as soon as it sees any other #VE, such as
a one generated by a private memory access.

[ dhansen: Rewrite changelog and rebase on new tdx_parse_tdinfo().
	   Add Kirill's tested-by because I made changes since
	   he wrote this. ]

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-49886?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-49886?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-49886 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-49886 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-2022-49886 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-49886 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 May 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-2022-49886 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-2022-49886/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49886/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-49886
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-49886
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-49886

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-49886/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.