#vulnerable code 
                                public boolean seekOrReseek(Cell cell, boolean isSeek) throws IOException{
        KeyValue kv = PhoenixKeyValueUtil.maybeCopyCell(cell);
        KeyValue keyToSeek = kv;
        KeyValue splitKeyValue = KeyValueUtil.createKeyValueFromKey(reader.getSplitkey());
        if (reader.isTop()) {
            if(getComparator().compare(kv, splitKeyValue) < 0){
                if(!isSeek && realSeekDone()) {
                    return true;
                }
                return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
            }
            keyToSeek = getKeyPresentInHFiles(kv.getRowArray());
            return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
        } else {
            if (getComparator().compare(kv, splitKeyValue) >= 0) {
                close();
                return false;
            }
            if(!isSeek && reader.getRegionInfo().getStartKey().length == 0 && reader.getSplitRow().length > reader.getRegionStartKeyInHFile().length) {
                keyToSeek = getKeyPresentInHFiles(kv.getRowArray());
            }
        }
        return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
    } 
                            #location 12 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                                public boolean seekOrReseek(Cell cell, boolean isSeek) throws IOException{
        Cell keyToSeek = cell;
        KeyValue splitKeyValue = new KeyValue.KeyOnlyKeyValue(reader.getSplitkey());
        if (reader.isTop()) {
            if(this.comparator.compare(cell, splitKeyValue, true) < 0){
                if(!isSeek && realSeekDone()) {
                    return true;
                }
                return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
            }
            keyToSeek = getKeyPresentInHFiles(cell);
            return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
        } else {
            if (this.comparator.compare(cell, splitKeyValue, true) >= 0) {
                close();
                return false;
            }
            if(!isSeek && reader.getRegionInfo().getStartKey().length == 0 && reader.getSplitRow().length > reader.getRegionStartKeyInHFile().length) {
                keyToSeek = getKeyPresentInHFiles(cell);
            }
        }
        return seekOrReseekToProperKey(isSeek, keyToSeek);
    }