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CVE Record

CVE-2022-48833: btrfs: skip reserved bytes warning on unmount after log cleanup failure

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: skip reserved bytes warning on unmount after log cleanup failure After the recent changes made by commit c2e39305299f01 ("btrfs: clear extent buffer uptodate when we fail to write it") and its followup fix, commit 651740a5024117 ("btrfs: check WRITE_ERR when trying to read an extent buffer"), we can now end up not cleaning up space reservations of log tree extent buffers after a transaction abort happens, as well as not cleaning up still dirty extent buffers. This happens because if writeback for a log tree extent buffer failed, then we have cleared the bit EXTENT_BUFFER_UPTODATE from the extent buffer and we have also set the bit EXTENT_BUFFER_WRITE_ERR on it. Later on, when trying to free the log tree with free_log_tree(), which iterates over the tree, we can end up getting an -EIO error when trying to read a node or a leaf, since read_extent_buffer_pages() returns -EIO if an extent buffer does not have EXTENT_BUFFER_UPTODATE set and has the EXTENT_BUFFER_WRITE_ERR bit set. Getting that -EIO means that we return immediately as we can not iterate over the entire tree. In that case we never update the reserved space for an extent buffer in the respective block group and space_info object. When this happens we get the following traces when unmounting the fs: [174957.284509] BTRFS: error (device dm-0) in cleanup_transaction:1913: errno=-5 IO failure [174957.286497] BTRFS: error (device dm-0) in free_log_tree:3420: errno=-5 IO failure [174957.399379] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [174957.402497] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 3206883 at fs/btrfs/block-group.c:127 btrfs_put_block_group+0x77/0xb0 [btrfs] [174957.407523] Modules linked in: btrfs overlay dm_zero (...) [174957.424917] CPU: 2 PID: 3206883 Comm: umount Tainted: G W 5.16.0-rc5-btrfs-next-109 #1 [174957.426689] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.14.0-0-g155821a1990b-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 [174957.428716] RIP: 0010:btrfs_put_block_group+0x77/0xb0 [btrfs] [174957.429717] Code: 21 48 8b bd (...) [174957.432867] RSP: 0018:ffffb70d41cffdd0 EFLAGS: 00010206 [174957.433632] RAX: 0000000000000001 RBX: ffff8b09c3848000 RCX: ffff8b0758edd1c8 [174957.434689] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: ffffffffc0b467e7 RDI: ffff8b0758edd000 [174957.436068] RBP: ffff8b0758edd000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [174957.437114] R10: 0000000000000246 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ffff8b09c3848148 [174957.438140] R13: ffff8b09c3848198 R14: ffff8b0758edd188 R15: dead000000000100 [174957.439317] FS: 00007f328fb82800(0000) GS:ffff8b0a2d200000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [174957.440402] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [174957.441164] CR2: 00007fff13563e98 CR3: 0000000404f4e005 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 [174957.442117] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [174957.443076] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [174957.443948] Call Trace: [174957.444264] <TASK> [174957.444538] btrfs_free_block_groups+0x255/0x3c0 [btrfs] [174957.445238] close_ctree+0x301/0x357 [btrfs] [174957.445803] ? call_rcu+0x16c/0x290 [174957.446250] generic_shutdown_super+0x74/0x120 [174957.446832] kill_anon_super+0x14/0x30 [174957.447305] btrfs_kill_super+0x12/0x20 [btrfs] [174957.447890] deactivate_locked_super+0x31/0xa0 [174957.448440] cleanup_mnt+0x147/0x1c0 [174957.448888] task_work_run+0x5c/0xa0 [174957.449336] exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x1e5/0x1f0 [174957.449934] syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x16/0x40 [174957.450512] do_syscall_64+0x48/0xc0 [174957.450980] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [174957.451605] RIP: 0033:0x7f328fdc4a97 [174957.452059] Code: 03 0c 00 f7 (...) [174957.454320] RSP: 002b:00007fff13564ec8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 00000000000000a6 [174957.455262] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 00007f328feea264 RCX: 00007f328fdc4a97 [174957.456131] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00000000000000 ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel Btrfs flaw is about cleanup after a failed write, not a clearly documented remote break-in. Under specific I/O failure conditions, unmounting a Btrfs filesystem can leave reservation accounting uncleared and trigger kernel warnings. Business urgency depends on whether affected kernels and Btrfs are in use.

Executive priority

Treat as targeted operational risk for Btrfs-backed Linux systems, not an internet-wide emergency based on this evidence. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, faster where Btrfs reliability or storage integrity is business-critical.

Technical view

Btrfs log tree extent buffers can lose EXTENT_BUFFER_UPTODATE and gain EXTENT_BUFFER_WRITE_ERR after writeback failure. free_log_tree() may then hit -EIO while reading the tree and return early, skipping reserved space accounting cleanup for block_group and space_info during unmount after transaction abort.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with Btrfs filesystems. The source identifies affected Linux kernel ranges and stable fixes, but does not provide CPEs or distribution package mappings.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show active exploitation, KEV listing, public exploit use, or a clear attacker-controlled path. Evidence describes a kernel filesystem error path following writeback failure and transaction abort.

Researcher notes

The provided record lacks CVSS, CWE, exploitability details, and distribution-specific advisories. Analysis should stay close to the Btrfs cleanup path and affected kernel/version evidence until vendor advisories add impact detail.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify hosts using Btrfs and affected Linux kernel versions.
  • Apply vendor or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize systems showing Btrfs I/O failures, transaction aborts, or unmount warnings.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for exact package versions and reboot requirements.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions and confirm whether Btrfs filesystems are mounted.
  • Review logs for BTRFS cleanup_transaction, free_log_tree, -EIO, or btrfs_put_block_group warnings.
  • Confirm updated kernels include the referenced stable commits or vendor backports.
  • Reboot after kernel update where required by vendor guidance.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2022-48833 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
4Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container
CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux0338e448b90527d46e6debe9f95f8a117706a835, c2e39305299f0118298c2201f6d6cc7d3485f29e, c2e39305299f0118298c2201f6d6cc7d3485f29e, 651740a502411793327e2f0741104749c4eedcd1, aa4740bc8595dd36017b5df172b96ff6141176a5, 41b3cc57d626d2d49c95c8208a86ab3e93ed4a68, 8848395975bdd15572a042566aff2ac78a6895ee, 5.15.8, 5.4.165, 5.10.85unaffected
LinuxLinux5.16, 0, 5.15.31, 5.16.17, 5.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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