CVE-2022-49083 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to the IOMMU (Input-Output Memory Management Unit) subsystem, specifically affecting the OMAP (Open Multimedia Applications Platform) variant. The issue arises from a regression introduced by commit 6785eb9105e3, which converted the iommu/omap driver to use probe/release_device callbacks but missed converting one place, leading to incorrect error handling. Subsequently, commit 3f6634d997db attempted to fix the retrieval of iommu_ops but inadvertently triggered a NULL pointer dereference during the probing of certain OMAP devices. The root cause is that the omap iommu probe function returns 0 instead of the expected ERR_PTR(-ENODEV) error pointer when a device is not found, causing the kernel to dereference a NULL pointer in the __iommu_probe_device function. This results in a kernel crash (panic) due to the NULL pointer dereference during device initialization. The vulnerability affects specific Linux kernel versions containing the faulty commits and is resolved by correcting the return value handling in the probe function. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The flaw is a regression, meaning it was introduced by a recent change rather than being a longstanding issue. The impact is primarily a denial of service (DoS) via kernel crash during device initialization on affected hardware platforms using OMAP IOMMU implementations.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-49083 is potential denial of service on systems running affected Linux kernel versions on OMAP-based hardware. OMAP processors are commonly found in embedded systems, industrial control devices, and specialized telecommunications equipment. Organizations relying on embedded Linux devices with OMAP SoCs—such as in manufacturing, automotive, or network infrastructure—may experience system instability or crashes during device initialization, leading to downtime or service interruptions. While this vulnerability does not directly enable privilege escalation or data compromise, the resulting kernel panic could disrupt critical services or embedded applications. Given the increasing use of Linux in IoT and industrial environments across Europe, the vulnerability could affect sectors such as manufacturing automation, smart grid infrastructure, and telecommunications. However, the impact is limited to specific hardware platforms and kernel versions, reducing the overall risk to general-purpose Linux servers or desktops. No known exploits exist, so the threat is currently theoretical but should be addressed proactively to avoid operational disruptions.

To mitigate CVE-2022-49083, European organizations should: 1) Identify and inventory Linux systems running on OMAP-based hardware, particularly embedded and industrial devices. 2) Verify kernel versions and check for the presence of the faulty commits (notably 6785eb9105e3 and 3f6634d997db). 3) Apply vendor-provided patches or upgrade to Linux kernel versions where the regression is fixed, ensuring the probe function correctly returns ERR_PTR(-ENODEV) instead of 0. 4) For devices where kernel upgrades are not immediately feasible, implement monitoring to detect kernel panics or crashes related to iommu/omap initialization and plan for maintenance windows to apply fixes. 5) Collaborate with hardware and software vendors to obtain updated firmware or kernel builds addressing this issue. 6) Conduct thorough testing of updated kernels in controlled environments before deployment to avoid regressions. 7) Consider isolating critical embedded devices from untrusted networks to reduce exposure to potential triggering conditions. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on hardware-specific identification, patch verification, and operational monitoring tailored to OMAP-based Linux systems.