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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2022-50668: ext4: fix deadlock due to mbcache entry corruption

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 30/100)

  • 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: 0.80% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 56.8% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 127b80cefb941a81255c72f11081123f3a705369, 1be16a0c2f10186df505e28b0cc92d7f3366e2a8, 5bc0b2fda4b47c86278f7c6d30c211f425bf51cf.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 127b80cefb941a81255c72f11081123f3a705369, 1be16a0c2f10186df505e28b0cc92d7f3366e2a8, 5bc0b2fda4b47c86278f7c6d30c211f425bf51cf 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 deadlock due to mbcache entry corruption When manipulating xattr blocks, we can deadlock infinitely looping inside ext4_xattr_block_set() where we constantly keep finding xattr block for reuse in mbcache but we are unable to reuse it because its reference count is too big. This happens because cache entry for the xattr block is marked as reusable (e_reusable set) although its reference count is too big. When this inconsistency happens, this inconsistent state is kept indefinitely and so ext4_xattr_block_set() keeps retrying indefinitely. The inconsistent state is caused by non-atomic update of e_reusable bit. e_reusable is part of a bitfield and e_reusable update can race with update of e_referenced bit in the same bitfield resulting in loss of one of the updates. Fix the problem by using atomic bitops instead. This bug has been around for many years, but it became *much* easier to hit after commit 65f8b80053a1 ("ext4: fix race when reusing xattr blocks").

HighCVSS 7.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
EPSS
0.8% · 56th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

30

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.8%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · Linux
7.5
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

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.

Follow CVE-2022-50668

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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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.

—

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

    • 4.6affected
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before efaa0ca678f56d47316a08030b2515678cebbc50affected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before af53065276376750dfac35a7248af18806404c5daffected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before 1be16a0c2f10186df505e28b0cc92d7f3366e2a8affected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before 5bc0b2fda4b47c86278f7c6d30c211f425bf51cfaffected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before 127b80cefb941a81255c72f11081123f3a705369affected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before cc1538c693d25e282bed8c54b65c914a04023a78affected · git
    • 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b and later · before a44e84a9b7764c72896f7241a0ec9ac7e7ef38ddaffected · git
    • before 4.6not affected · semver
    • 4.19.270 and later · up to and including 4.19.*not affected · semver

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
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kernel-defaultbefore 4.12.14-122.290.14.12.14-122.290.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_76before 1-8.7.11-8.7.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2kernel-defaultbefore 5.3.18-150300.59.232.15.3.18-150300.59.232.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2kernel-default-basebefore 5.3.18-150300.59.232.1.150300.18.138.15.3.18-150300.59.232.1.150300.18.138.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2kernel-rtbefore 5.3.18-150300.232.15.3.18-150300.232.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2kernel-source-rtbefore 5.3.18-150300.232.15.3.18-150300.232.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSkernel-sourcebefore 4.12.14-122.290.14.12.14-122.290.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSkernel-symsbefore 4.12.14-122.290.14.12.14-122.290.1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-74705udp: fix potential use-after-free in tunnel segmentation
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74612veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74475vxlan: use neigh_ha_snapshot() in route_shortcircuit()
    40Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50664Dec 9, 2025 · media: dvb-frontends: fix leak of memory fw
    0Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-50667Dec 9, 2025 · drm/vmwgfx: Fix memory leak in vmw_mksstat_add_ioctl()
    0Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2022-50669Dec 9, 2025 · misc: ocxl: fix possible name leak in ocxl_file_register_afu()
    0Monitor

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 Linux127b80cefb941a81255c72f11081123f3a705369Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux1be16a0c2f10186df505e28b0cc92d7f3366e2a8Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5bc0b2fda4b47c86278f7c6d30c211f425bf51cfVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxa44e84a9b7764c72896f7241a0ec9ac7e7ef38ddVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxaf53065276376750dfac35a7248af18806404c5dVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxcc1538c693d25e282bed8c54b65c914a04023a78Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxefaa0ca678f56d47316a08030b2515678cebbc50Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.4-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default-base5.3.18-150300.59.232.1.150300.18.138.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-rt5.3.18-150300.232.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSPackage registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source-rt5.3.18-150300.232.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-syms4.12.14-122.290.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSSPackage registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_761-8.7.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package 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

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • 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
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

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

nvd-secondary

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 (6 more)

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

All records