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

KVM: Don't null dereference ops->destroy

A KVM device cleanup happens in either of two callbacks:
1) destroy() which is called when the VM is being destroyed;
2) release() which is called when a device fd is closed.

Most KVM devices use 1) but Book3s's interrupt controller KVM devices
(XICS, XIVE, XIVE-native) use 2) as they need to close and reopen during
the machine execution. The error handling in kvm_ioctl_create_device()
assumes destroy() is always defined which leads to NULL dereference as
discovered by Syzkaller.

This adds a checks for destroy!=NULL and adds a missing release().

This is not changing kvm_destroy_devices() as devices with defined
release() should have been removed from the KVM devices list by then.
Published: 2025-02-26
Score: 5.5 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2022-54664 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Don't null dereference ops->destroy A KVM device cleanup happens in either of two callbacks: 1) destroy() which is called when the VM is being destroyed; 2) release() which is called when a device fd is closed. Most KVM devices use 1) but Book3s's interrupt controller KVM devices (XICS, XIVE, XIVE-native) use 2) as they need to close and reopen during the machine execution. The error handling in kvm_ioctl_create_device() assumes destroy() is always defined which leads to NULL dereference as discovered by Syzkaller. This adds a checks for destroy!=NULL and adds a missing release(). This is not changing kvm_destroy_devices() as devices with defined release() should have been removed from the KVM devices list by then.
History

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Metrics threat_severity

Low

 threat_severity

Moderate

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 01:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 02:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: Don't null dereference ops->destroy A KVM device cleanup happens in either of two callbacks: 1) destroy() which is called when the VM is being destroyed; 2) release() which is called when a device fd is closed. Most KVM devices use 1) but Book3s's interrupt controller KVM devices (XICS, XIVE, XIVE-native) use 2) as they need to close and reopen during the machine execution. The error handling in kvm_ioctl_create_device() assumes destroy() is always defined which leads to NULL dereference as discovered by Syzkaller. This adds a checks for destroy!=NULL and adds a missing release(). This is not changing kvm_destroy_devices() as devices with defined release() should have been removed from the KVM devices list by then.
Title KVM: Don't null dereference ops->destroy
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T19:02:28.088Z

Reserved: 2025-02-26T02:21:30.410Z

Link: CVE-2022-49568

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2025-10-01T16:50:14.176Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2025-02-26T07:01:32.517

Modified: 2025-10-01T20:16:48.507

Link: CVE-2022-49568

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-02-26T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2022-49568 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses