#vulnerable code 
                                public boolean sendMessage(GelfMessage message) {
        if (shutdown) {
            return false;
        }

        try {
            // reconnect if necessary
            if (socket == null) {
                socket = new Socket(host, port);
            }

            socket.getOutputStream().write(message.toTCPBuffer().array());

            return true;
        } catch (IOException e) {
            errorReporter.reportError(e.getMessage(), new IOException("Cannot send data to " + host + ":" + port, e));
            // if an error occours, signal failure
            socket = null;
            return false;
        }
    } 
                            #location 12 
                            #vulnerability type NULL_DEREFERENCE
#fixed code
                                public boolean sendMessage(GelfMessage message) {
        if (shutdown) {
            return false;
        }

        try {
            // reconnect if necessary
            if (socket == null) {
                socket = createSocket();
            }

            socket.getOutputStream().write(message.toTCPBuffer().array());

            return true;
        } catch (IOException e) {
            errorReporter.reportError(e.getMessage(), new IOException("Cannot send data to " + host + ":" + port, e));
            // if an error occours, signal failure
            socket = null;
            return false;
        }
    }