CVE-2022-50538 vme: Fix error not catched in fake_init()
A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel VME subsystem can cause a system crash during module unloading.
- 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
What is CVE-2022-50538?
CVE-2022-50538 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Oct 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:
vme: Fix error not catched in fake_init()
In fake_init(), __root_device_register() is possible to fail but it's ignored, which can cause unregistering vme_root fail when exit.
general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc000000008c KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000460-0x0000000000000467] RIP: 0010:root_device_unregister+0x26/0x60 Call Trace: <TASK> __x64_sys_delete_module+0x34f/0x540 do_syscall_64+0x38/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd
Return error when __root_device_register() fails.
Weakness: CWE-476
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50538?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50538?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2022-50538 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50538 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50538, GHSA-p579-wmgc-72qq, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50538.