CVE-2022-49932

KVM: VMX: Do _all_ initialization before exposing /dev/kvm to userspace

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 2, 2025 at 03:54 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:19 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: VMX: Do _all_ initialization before exposing /dev/kvm to userspace Call kvm_init() only after _all_ setup is complete, as kvm_init() exposes /dev/kvm to userspace and thus allows userspace to create VMs (and call other ioctls). E.g. KVM will encounter a NULL pointer when attempting to add a vCPU to the per-CPU loaded_vmcss_on_cpu list if userspace is able to create a VM before vmx_init() configures said list. BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000008 #PF: supervisor write access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0002) - not-present page PGD 0 P4D 0 Oops: 0002 [#1] SMP CPU: 6 PID: 1143 Comm: stable Not tainted 6.0.0-rc7+ #988 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 0.0.0 02/06/2015 RIP: 0010:vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs+0x68/0x230 [kvm_intel] <TASK> vmx_vcpu_load+0x16/0x60 [kvm_intel] kvm_arch_vcpu_load+0x32/0x1f0 [kvm] vcpu_load+0x2f/0x40 [kvm] kvm_arch_vcpu_create+0x231/0x310 [kvm] kvm_vm_ioctl+0x79f/0xe10 [kvm] ? handle_mm_fault+0xb1/0x220 __x64_sys_ioctl+0x80/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x2b/0x50 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 RIP: 0033:0x7f5a6b05743b </TASK> Modules linked in: vhost_net vhost vhost_iotlb tap kvm_intel(+) kvm irqbypass

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v ≥ 4.14.177v ≥ 4.19.116v ≥ 4.9.220v ≥ 5.4.33v ≥ 5.5.18v ≥ 5.6.5v < 6.1.204.14.177 ≤ v < 4.154.19.116 ≤ v < 4.204.9.220 ≤ v < 4.105.4.33 ≤ v < 5.55.5.18 ≤ v < 5.65.6.5 ≤ v < 5.75.7 ≤ v < 6.1.205.7 ≤ v < 6.2.75.7 ≤ v < 6.36.2 ≤ v < 6.2.72c0bf2560ca18abe1451db23b8ef8700c67cc44f4.14.1774.19.1164.9.22040888c31aca3a46f266f1f121679f8e1982df0855.4.335.5.185.6.55.7b2f7d0adc1260fa33ff3e992d18ff15873e68a67cd3f438fbb9cb60da32dd2b665f7dc9baba1c4addbef2808af6c594922fe32833b30f55f35e9da6de35a2dc8c7f664ae8a9cc46d19985dc79bfc1083f9971a898a815c2a6cce2932e91a576b28ed4cce
Vendor states this is fixed in e136e969d268b9b89329c816c002e53f60e82985 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e28533c08023c4b319b7f2cd77f3f7c9204eb517 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e32b120071ea114efc0b4ddd439547750b85f618 (fixed)
Affected range stops below 4.10, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.15, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.20, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.7 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.20 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.2.7 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.3 (unaffected)

References (3)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e136e969d268b9b89329c816c002e53f60e82985
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e28533c08023c4b319b7f2cd77f3f7c9204eb517
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e32b120071ea114efc0b4ddd439547750b85f618

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-476

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