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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2022-50277: ext4: don't allow journal inode to have encrypt flag

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.10% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 105c78e12468413e426625831faa7db4284e1fec, 1f7a6626f611aa06d7907aa45b484708dd5ac8bc, bcc5057e1781a3ee889225480d995c3b5cbde555.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 105c78e12468413e426625831faa7db4284e1fec, 1f7a6626f611aa06d7907aa45b484708dd5ac8bc, bcc5057e1781a3ee889225480d995c3b5cbde555 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: don't allow journal inode to have encrypt flag Mounting a filesystem whose journal inode has the encrypt flag causes a NULL dereference in fscrypt_limit_io_blocks() when the 'inlinecrypt' mount option is used. The problem is that when jbd2_journal_init_inode() calls bmap(), it eventually finds its way into ext4_iomap_begin(), which calls fscrypt_limit_io_blocks(). fscrypt_limit_io_blocks() requires that if the inode is encrypted, then its encryption key must already be set up. That's not the case here, since the journal inode is never "opened" like a normal file would be. Hence the crash. A reproducer is: mkfs.ext4 -F /dev/vdb debugfs -w /dev/vdb -R "set_inode_field <8> flags 0x80808" mount /dev/vdb /mnt -o inlinecrypt To fix this, make ext4 consider journal inodes with the encrypt flag to be invalid. (Note, maybe other flags should be rejected on the journal inode too. For now, this is just the minimal fix for the above issue.) I've marked this as fixing the commit that introduced the call to fscrypt_limit_io_blocks(), since that's what made an actual crash start being possible. But this fix could be applied to any version of ext4 that supports the encrypt feature.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 0th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

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  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel5.18 and later · before 6.0.18
  • linux linux kernel6.1 and later · before 6.1.4

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 5.18affected
    • 38ea50daa7a447dbcd7031f37a39a1baa163b2ab and later · before 1f7a6626f611aa06d7907aa45b484708dd5ac8bcaffected · git
    • 38ea50daa7a447dbcd7031f37a39a1baa163b2ab and later · before bcc5057e1781a3ee889225480d995c3b5cbde555affected · git
    • 38ea50daa7a447dbcd7031f37a39a1baa163b2ab and later · before 105c78e12468413e426625831faa7db4284e1fecaffected · git
    • before 5.18not affected · semver
    • 6.0.18 and later · up to and including 6.0.*not affected · semver
    • 6.1.4 and later · up to and including 6.1.*not affected · semver
    • 6.2 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.4-16.1.4-1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreambpftool-debuginfobefore 0:7.3.0-427.13.1.el9_40:7.3.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debug-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debug-develbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debug-devel-matchedbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-develbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-devel-matchedbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debug-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debug-develbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debug-devel-matchedbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64before 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64lebefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debuginfo-common-s390xbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64before 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-develbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-devel-matchedbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-docbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-rt-debug-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-rt-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-tools-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-zfcpdump-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-zfcpdump-develbefore 0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_40:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4

+55

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50275Sep 15, 2025 · drm/radeon: Add the missed acpi_put_table() to fix memory leak
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50276Sep 15, 2025 · power: supply: fix null pointer dereferencing in power_supply_get_battery_info
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2022-50278Sep 15, 2025 · PNP: fix name memory leak in pnp_alloc_dev()
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux105c78e12468413e426625831faa7db4284e1fecVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux1f7a6626f611aa06d7907aa45b484708dd5ac8bcVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxbcc5057e1781a3ee889225480d995c3b5cbde555Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.4-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
red hat:bpftool-debuginfo0:7.3.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-debuginfo0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debuginfo0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel-matched0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-debuginfo0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel-matched0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debuginfo0:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch640:5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (2 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records