CVE-2022-50638: ext4: fix bug_on in __es_tree_search caused by bad boot loader inode
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 0/100)
- 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: 0.24% (FIRST EPSS).
- Fixed version: Linux Linux 5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613deddd, 71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee, 78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613deddd, 71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee, 78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed 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: fix bug_on in __es_tree_search caused by bad boot loader inode We got a issue as fllows: ================================================================== kernel BUG at fs/ext4/extents_status.c:203! invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP CPU: 1 PID: 945 Comm: cat Not tainted 6.0.0-next-20221007-dirty #349 RIP: 0010:ext4_es_end.isra.0+0x34/0x42 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000143b768 EFLAGS: 00010203 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff8881769cd0b8 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffffffff8fc27cf7 RDI: 00000000ffffffff RBP: ffff8881769cd0bc R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffc9000143b5f8 R10: 0000000000000001 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: ffff8881769cd0a0 R13: ffff8881768e5668 R14: 00000000768e52f0 R15: 0000000000000000 FS: 00007f359f7f05c0(0000)GS:ffff88842fd00000(0000)knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f359f5a2000 CR3: 000000017130c000 CR4: 00000000000006e0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> __es_tree_search.isra.0+0x6d/0xf5 ext4_es_cache_extent+0xfa/0x230 ext4_cache_extents+0xd2/0x110 ext4_find_extent+0x5d5/0x8c0 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0x9c/0x1d30 ext4_map_blocks+0x431/0xa50 ext4_mpage_readpages+0x48e/0xe40 ext4_readahead+0x47/0x50 read_pages+0x82/0x530 page_cache_ra_unbounded+0x199/0x2a0 do_page_cache_ra+0x47/0x70 page_cache_ra_order+0x242/0x400 ondemand_readahead+0x1e8/0x4b0 page_cache_sync_ra+0xf4/0x110 filemap_get_pages+0x131/0xb20 filemap_read+0xda/0x4b0 generic_file_read_iter+0x13a/0x250 ext4_file_read_iter+0x59/0x1d0 vfs_read+0x28f/0x460 ksys_read+0x73/0x160 __x64_sys_read+0x1e/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd </TASK> ================================================================== In the above issue, ioctl invokes the swap_inode_boot_loader function to swap inode<5> and inode<12>. However, inode<5> contain incorrect imode and disordered extents, and i_nlink is set to 1. The extents check for inode in the ext4_iget function can be bypassed bacause 5 is EXT4_BOOT_LOADER_INO. While links_count is set to 1, the extents are not initialized in swap_inode_boot_loader. After the ioctl command is executed successfully, the extents are swapped to inode<12>, in this case, run the `cat` command to view inode<12>. And Bug_ON is triggered due to the incorrect extents. When the boot loader inode is not initialized, its imode can be one of the following: 1) the imode is a bad type, which is marked as bad_inode in ext4_iget and set to S_IFREG. 2) the imode is good type but not S_IFREG. 3) the imode is S_IFREG. The BUG_ON may be triggered by bypassing the check in cases 1 and 2. Therefore, when the boot loader inode is bad_inode or its imode is not S_IFREG, initialize the inode to avoid triggering the BUG.
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 15th percentile
- CWE
- —
Report tools
Action score
0
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 0 / 40 · —
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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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.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected 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.
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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
- 3.10affected
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before e76ede9d2c9e0af4573342b56d7cdbf757c18084affected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before a95ba369255ddcdc5e43d38bc5203537bdf3a518affected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before 5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613dedddaffected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before 78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9edaffected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before 71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffeeaffected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before d480a49c15c465cb9a16db1379f4996e9b5bb9ccaffected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before feec0ea94c5ef4aa118750284c8a921698733ef2affected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before a125c8806b7d3c3815b6f9f59d395b9d7527b0efaffected · git
- 393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 and later · before 991ed014de0840c5dc405b679168924afb2952acaffected · git
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | linux | before 6.1.4-1 | 6.1.4-1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | kernel-64kb | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | kernel-docs | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | kernel-obs-build | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | kernel-syms | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | kernel-default | before 4.12.14-122.290.1 | 4.12.14-122.290.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_76 | before 1-8.7.1 | 1-8.7.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_34 | before 1-150500.11.3.1 | 1-150500.11.3.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 | kernel-rt | before 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 | kernel-source-rt | before 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1 | 5.14.21-150400.15.142.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | kernel-default | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | kernel-default-base | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1.150500.6.65.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1.150500.6.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | kernel-rt | before 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 | 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | kernel-source | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | kernel-source-rt | before 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 | 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | kernel-source | before 4.12.14-122.290.1 | 4.12.14-122.290.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | kernel-syms | before 4.12.14-122.290.1 | 4.12.14-122.290.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS | kernel-zfcpdump | before 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 |
Same product
linux: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-74705udp: fix potential use-after-free in tunnel segmentation40Plan
- CVE-2026-74612veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment40Plan
- CVE-2026-74475vxlan: use neigh_ha_snapshot() in route_shortcircuit()40Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-50636Dec 8, 2025 · PCI: Fix pci_device_is_present() for VFs by checking PF0Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-50637Dec 8, 2025 · cpufreq: qcom-hw: Fix memory leak in qcom_cpufreq_hw_read_lut()0Monitor
- Later →CVE-2022-50639Dec 8, 2025 · io-wq: Fix memory leak in worker creation0Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | 5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613deddd | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | 991ed014de0840c5dc405b679168924afb2952ac | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a125c8806b7d3c3815b6f9f59d395b9d7527b0ef | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | a95ba369255ddcdc5e43d38bc5203537bdf3a518 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | d480a49c15c465cb9a16db1379f4996e9b5bb9cc | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | e76ede9d2c9e0af4573342b56d7cdbf757c18084 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Linux Linux | feec0ea94c5ef4aa118750284c8a921698733ef2 | Vendor (CNA) |
| debian:linux | 6.1.4-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-64kb | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-default | 4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1.150500.6.65.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-docs | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_34 | 1-150500.11.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-obs-build | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-rt | 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-source | 4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-source-rt | 5.14.21-150500.13.118.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-syms | 4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kernel-zfcpdump | 5.14.21-150500.55.133.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_76 | 1-8.7.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | Package 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 researchersFinders, 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.
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Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
No CVSS vector for this record, so attack conditions can't be derived.
Weakness class (CWE)
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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
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (8 more)Show less
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/991ed014de0840c5dc405b679168924afb2952ac
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a125c8806b7d3c3815b6f9f59d395b9d7527b0ef
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a95ba369255ddcdc5e43d38bc5203537bdf3a518
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d480a49c15c465cb9a16db1379f4996e9b5bb9cc
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e76ede9d2c9e0af4573342b56d7cdbf757c18084
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/feec0ea94c5ef4aa118750284c8a921698733ef2
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.