CVE-2022-50546

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix uninititialized value in 'ext4_evict_inode' Syzbot found the following issue: ===================================================== BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in ext4_evict_inode+0xdd/0x26b0 fs/ext4/inode.c:180 ext4_evict_inode+0xdd/0x26b0 fs/ext4/inode.c:180 evict+0x365/0x9a0 fs/inode.c:664 iput_final fs/inode.c:1747 [inline] iput+0x985/0xdd0 fs/inode.c:1773 __ext4_new_inode+0xe54/0x7ec0 fs/ext4/ialloc.c:1361 ext4_mknod+0x376/0x840 fs/ext4/namei.c:2844 vfs_mknod+0x79d/0x830 fs/namei.c:3914 do_mknodat+0x47d/0xaa0 __do_sys_mknodat fs/namei.c:3992 [inline] __se_sys_mknodat fs/namei.c:3989 [inline] __ia32_sys_mknodat+0xeb/0x150 fs/namei.c:3989 do_syscall_32_irqs_on arch/x86/entry/common.c:112 [inline] __do_fast_syscall_32+0xa2/0x100 arch/x86/entry/common.c:178 do_fast_syscall_32+0x33/0x70 arch/x86/entry/common.c:203 do_SYSENTER_32+0x1b/0x20 arch/x86/entry/common.c:246 entry_SYSENTER_compat_after_hwframe+0x70/0x82 Uninit was created at: __alloc_pages+0x9f1/0xe80 mm/page_alloc.c:5578 alloc_pages+0xaae/0xd80 mm/mempolicy.c:2285 alloc_slab_page mm/slub.c:1794 [inline] allocate_slab+0x1b5/0x1010 mm/slub.c:1939 new_slab mm/slub.c:1992 [inline] ___slab_alloc+0x10c3/0x2d60 mm/slub.c:3180 __slab_alloc mm/slub.c:3279 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:3364 [inline] slab_alloc mm/slub.c:3406 [inline] __kmem_cache_alloc_lru mm/slub.c:3413 [inline] kmem_cache_alloc_lru+0x6f3/0xb30 mm/slub.c:3429 alloc_inode_sb include/linux/fs.h:3117 [inline] ext4_alloc_inode+0x5f/0x860 fs/ext4/super.c:1321 alloc_inode+0x83/0x440 fs/inode.c:259 new_inode_pseudo fs/inode.c:1018 [inline] new_inode+0x3b/0x430 fs/inode.c:1046 __ext4_new_inode+0x2a7/0x7ec0 fs/ext4/ialloc.c:959 ext4_mkdir+0x4d5/0x1560 fs/ext4/namei.c:2992 vfs_mkdir+0x62a/0x870 fs/namei.c:4035 do_mkdirat+0x466/0x7b0 fs/namei.c:4060 __do_sys_mkdirat fs/namei.c:4075 [inline] __se_sys_mkdirat fs/namei.c:4073 [inline] __ia32_sys_mkdirat+0xc4/0x120 fs/namei.c:4073 do_syscall_32_irqs_on arch/x86/entry/common.c:112 [inline] __do_fast_syscall_32+0xa2/0x100 arch/x86/entry/common.c:178 do_fast_syscall_32+0x33/0x70 arch/x86/entry/common.c:203 do_SYSENTER_32+0x1b/0x20 arch/x86/entry/common.c:246 entry_SYSENTER_compat_after_hwframe+0x70/0x82 CPU: 1 PID: 4625 Comm: syz-executor.2 Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4-syzkaller-62821-gcb231e2f67ec #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 10/26/2022 ===================================================== Now, 'ext4_alloc_inode()' didn't init 'ei->i_flags'. If new inode failed before set 'ei->i_flags' in '__ext4_new_inode()', then do 'iput()'. As after 6bc0d63dad7f commit will access 'ei->i_flags' in 'ext4_evict_inode()' which will lead to access uninit-value. To solve above issue just init 'ei->i_flags' in 'ext4_alloc_inode()'.

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. 2025-10-07 16:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 05:23 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

2025-10-07 16:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 05:23 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-908

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.15.87
• Linux Kernel < 5.19
• Linux Kernel < 6.0.18
• Linux Kernel < 6.1.4
• Linux Kernel 5.10.163

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-2022-50546.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2022-50546. 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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