A null pointer dereference occurs in the Linux kernel function update_cpu_qos_request() when the system boots with the 'nosmt' parameter. The code accesses global data through a NULL pointer before verifying that the policy is valid, which can trigger a kernel crash (kernel oops) and render the host unusable until reboot. This vulnerability directly compromises system availability and could be exploited by any local actor who can reboot or reboot with the affected parameter enabled.

Affected systems are all Linux kernel installations that include the Intel P-state driver in its current form. The patch is applied at the kernel level; no product version list was provided, so it applies to all current kernels that have not yet incorporated the fix. The problem arises specifically when the nosmt boot flag causes sibling SMT CPUs to report a NULL cpudata pointer.

The CVSS score is 5.5, the EPSS score is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Exploitation requires the system to boot with the nosmt flag, meaning the attack surface is limited to local or remote login that can influence boot parameters. Once active, the flaw leads to a denial‑of‑service condition, but does not provide an attacker with elevated privileges or persistence beyond the crash. Given the lack of a publicly known exploit and the requirement to influence the boot command line, the likelihood of exploitation in the wild is considered low to moderate, while the impact remains high due to the critical failure of system uptime.