Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Linux kernel issue can crash a system when the MediaTek video decoder module is removed under a specific driver mode. It is an availability risk, not a data theft or integrity issue in the provided sources. Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems using the affected MediaTek vcodec decoder driver path.
Executive priority
Treat as a moderate availability issue. Patch in normal kernel maintenance cycles, faster for MediaTek-based appliances or endpoints where local users can affect kernel modules. It does not indicate data compromise in the provided evidence.
Technical view
The flaw is in mtk_vcodec_dec_remove. When subdev mode is supported, dev->pm.dev may be NULL, and runtime power-management teardown can dereference it during mtk-vcodec-dec.ko removal, causing a kernel crash. CVSS is 5.5, local attack vector, low privileges, no confidentiality or integrity impact, high availability impact.
Likely exposure
Systems are plausibly exposed if they run an affected Linux kernel with the MediaTek mtk-vcodec decoder driver present and the vulnerable subdev-mode removal path reachable. The source bundle does not establish broad default exposure across all Linux deployments.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. The described trigger is local module removal of mtk-vcodec-dec.ko, leading to denial of service through kernel crash. No remote attack path is supported by the sources.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE record and Linux stable references. The affected version data in the bundle is sparse and should be reconciled against vendor backports. Validate exposure by driver presence and kernel provenance, not by version strings alone.
Mitigation direction
- Apply a Linux kernel update containing the referenced stable fixes.
- Check your Linux distribution or device vendor advisory for patched kernel builds.
- Prioritize affected MediaTek-based systems where video codec drivers are enabled.
- Limit module management permissions to trusted administrators per existing policy.
Validation and detection
- Inventory kernels and identify systems with MediaTek mtk-vcodec decoder support.
- Confirm whether mtk-vcodec-dec.ko is present, built in, or loadable.
- Map running kernel builds to vendor-fixed releases or referenced stable commits.
- Review crash logs for mtk_vcodec_dec_remove or __pm_runtime_disable traces.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-667: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-49496 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fa37b00dc55a061a3eb82e378849862b4aeca9dCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c10c0086db688c95bb4e0e378e523818dff1551dCVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Locking
Improper Locking represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.