CVE-2022-50651 ethtool: eeprom: fix null-deref on genl_info in dump

Not scored Published 9 Dec 2025 Updated 11 May 2026

A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel ethtool eeprom dump function allows local attackers to cause a system crash.

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-2022-50651?

CVE-2022-50651 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 9 Dec 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:

ethtool: eeprom: fix null-deref on genl_info in dump

The similar fix as commit 46cdedf2a0fa ("ethtool: pse-pd: fix null-deref on genl_info in dump") is also needed for ethtool eeprom.

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50651?

How do I fix CVE-2022-50651?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2022-50651 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50651 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50651, GHSA-5w66-49w5-7f8j, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50651.