---
id: CVE-2022-0171
title: A flaw was found in the Linux kernel
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. The existing KVM SEV API has a
  vulnerability that allows a non-root (host) user-level application to crash
  the host kernel by creating a confidential guest VM instance in AMD CPU that
  supports Secure…
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-459
  - CWE-212
vendor: linux
product: linux_kernel
affected:
  - linux_kernel < 5.18
  - linux_kernel = 5.18
  - enterprise_linux = 8.0
  - enterprise_linux = 9.0
  - debian_linux = 10.0
  - debian_linux = 11.0
patched:
  - linux_kernel 5.18
published: '2022-08-26'
updated: '2026-10-14'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-14T13:17:13.793'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0171'
references:
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2022-0171'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2038940'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=683412ccf61294d727ead4a73d97397396e69a6b
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/11/msg00001.html'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5257'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2022-0171'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2038940'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=683412ccf61294d727ead4a73d97397396e69a6b
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/11/msg00001.html'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5257'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.html'
    label: 0b142b55-0307-4c5a-b3c9-f314f3fb7c5e
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00297
epssPercentile: 0.2074
ingestedAt: '2026-10-14T13:30:58.417Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. The existing KVM SEV API has a vulnerability that allows a non-root (host) user-level application to crash the host kernel by creating a confidential guest VM instance in AMD CPU that supports Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV).

## Affected

- `linux_kernel < 5.18`
- `linux_kernel = 5.18`
- `enterprise_linux = 8.0`
- `enterprise_linux = 9.0`
- `debian_linux = 10.0`
- `debian_linux = 11.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `linux_kernel 5.18`