CVE-2022-50021

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: block range must be validated before use in ext4_mb_clear_bb() Block range to free is validated in ext4_free_blocks() using ext4_inode_block_valid() and then it's passed to ext4_mb_clear_bb(). However in some situations on bigalloc file system the range might be adjusted after the validation in ext4_free_blocks() which can lead to troubles on corrupted file systems such as one found by syzkaller that resulted in the following BUG kernel BUG at fs/ext4/ext4.h:3319! PREEMPT SMP NOPTI CPU: 28 PID: 4243 Comm: repro Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.19.0-rc6+ #1 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.15.0-1.fc35 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:ext4_free_blocks+0x95e/0xa90 Call Trace: <TASK> ? lock_timer_base+0x61/0x80 ? __es_remove_extent+0x5a/0x760 ? __mod_timer+0x256/0x380 ? ext4_ind_truncate_ensure_credits+0x90/0x220 ext4_clear_blocks+0x107/0x1b0 ext4_free_data+0x15b/0x170 ext4_ind_truncate+0x214/0x2c0 ? _raw_spin_unlock+0x15/0x30 ? ext4_discard_preallocations+0x15a/0x410 ? ext4_journal_check_start+0xe/0x90 ? __ext4_journal_start_sb+0x2f/0x110 ext4_truncate+0x1b5/0x460 ? __ext4_journal_start_sb+0x2f/0x110 ext4_evict_inode+0x2b4/0x6f0 evict+0xd0/0x1d0 ext4_enable_quotas+0x11f/0x1f0 ext4_orphan_cleanup+0x3de/0x430 ? proc_create_seq_private+0x43/0x50 ext4_fill_super+0x295f/0x3ae0 ? snprintf+0x39/0x40 ? sget_fc+0x19c/0x330 ? ext4_reconfigure+0x850/0x850 get_tree_bdev+0x16d/0x260 vfs_get_tree+0x25/0xb0 path_mount+0x431/0xa70 __x64_sys_mount+0xe2/0x120 do_syscall_64+0x5b/0x80 ? do_user_addr_fault+0x1e2/0x670 ? exc_page_fault+0x70/0x170 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x46/0xb0 RIP: 0033:0x7fdf4e512ace Fix it by making sure that the block range is properly validated before used every time it changes in ext4_free_blocks() or ext4_mb_clear_bb().

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2025-06-18 11:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-11-05 20:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2025-06-18 11:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-11-05 20:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-416 · Use after free

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.10.175
• Linux Kernel < 5.15.103
• Linux Kernel < 5.19.4

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.8

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2022-50021.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2022-50021. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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