#vulnerable code 
                                private void mergeConfigFileInFilter(CFLintFilter filter)
    {
        CFLintConfig cfg = loadConfig(configfile);
        for(PluginMessage message : cfg.getIncludes())
        {
            filter.includeCode(message.getCode());
        }
        for(PluginMessage message : cfg.getExcludes())
        {
            filter.excludeCode(message.getCode());
        }
    } 
                            #location 4 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                                private void mergeConfigFileInFilter(CFLintFilter filter)
    {
        CFLintConfig cfg = loadConfig(configfile);
        if(cfg != null){
        for(PluginMessage message : cfg.getIncludes())
	        {
	            filter.includeCode(message.getCode());
	        }
	        for(PluginMessage message : cfg.getExcludes())
	        {
	            filter.excludeCode(message.getCode());
	        }
        }
    }