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CVE Record

CVE-2022-48902: btrfs: do not WARN_ON() if we have PageError set

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: do not WARN_ON() if we have PageError set Whenever we do any extent buffer operations we call assert_eb_page_uptodate() to complain loudly if we're operating on an non-uptodate page. Our overnight tests caught this warning earlier this week WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 553508 at fs/btrfs/extent_io.c:6849 assert_eb_page_uptodate+0x3f/0x50 CPU: 1 PID: 553508 Comm: kworker/u4:13 Tainted: G W 5.17.0-rc3+ #564 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.13.0-2.fc32 04/01/2014 Workqueue: btrfs-cache btrfs_work_helper RIP: 0010:assert_eb_page_uptodate+0x3f/0x50 RSP: 0018:ffffa961440a7c68 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0017ffffc0002112 RBX: ffffe6e74453f9c0 RCX: 0000000000001000 RDX: ffffe6e74467c887 RSI: ffffe6e74453f9c0 RDI: ffff8d4c5efc2fc0 RBP: 0000000000000d56 R08: ffff8d4d4a224000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 00015817fa9d1ef0 R11: 000000000000000c R12: 00000000000007b1 R13: ffff8d4c5efc2fc0 R14: 0000000001500000 R15: 0000000001cb1000 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8d4dbbd00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007ff31d3448d8 CR3: 0000000118be8004 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 Call Trace: extent_buffer_test_bit+0x3f/0x70 free_space_test_bit+0xa6/0xc0 load_free_space_tree+0x1f6/0x470 caching_thread+0x454/0x630 ? rcu_read_lock_sched_held+0x12/0x60 ? rcu_read_lock_sched_held+0x12/0x60 ? rcu_read_lock_sched_held+0x12/0x60 ? lock_release+0x1f0/0x2d0 btrfs_work_helper+0xf2/0x3e0 ? lock_release+0x1f0/0x2d0 ? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0xf9/0x3a0 process_one_work+0x26d/0x580 ? process_one_work+0x580/0x580 worker_thread+0x55/0x3b0 ? process_one_work+0x580/0x580 kthread+0xf0/0x120 ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 This was partially fixed by c2e39305299f01 ("btrfs: clear extent buffer uptodate when we fail to write it"), however all that fix did was keep us from finding extent buffers after a failed writeout. It didn't keep us from continuing to use a buffer that we already had found. In this case we're searching the commit root to cache the block group, so we can start committing the transaction and switch the commit root and then start writing. After the switch we can look up an extent buffer that hasn't been written yet and start processing that block group. Then we fail to write that block out and clear Uptodate on the page, and then we start spewing these errors. Normally we're protected by the tree lock to a certain degree here. If we read a block we have that block read locked, and we block the writer from locking the block before we submit it for the write. However this isn't necessarily fool proof because the read could happen before we do the submit_bio and after we locked and unlocked the extent buffer. Also in this particular case we have path->skip_locking set, so that won't save us here. We'll simply get a block that was valid when we read it, but became invalid while we were using it. What we really want is to catch the case where we've "read" a block but it's not marked Uptodate. On read we ClearPageError(), so if we're !Uptodate and !Error we know we didn't do the right thing for reading the page. Fix this by checking !Uptodate && !Error, this way we will not complain if our buffer gets invalidated while we're using it, and we'll maintain the spirit of the check which is to make sure we have a fully in-cache block while we're messing with it.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-48902 is a Linux kernel btrfs issue where the kernel could emit warnings while operating on an extent buffer whose page error state changed. The public record describes a kernel correctness fix, not a clearly demonstrated attacker-driven compromise. Business urgency is highest for systems using btrfs on affected kernel lines.

Executive priority

Moderate operational priority where btrfs is deployed. There is no public evidence of active exploitation in the provided sources, but kernel storage warnings can affect reliability. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, with faster action for critical btrfs-backed systems.

Technical view

The issue is in btrfs extent buffer handling around assert_eb_page_uptodate(). A prior fix prevented finding buffers after failed writeout but did not cover buffers already in use. The fix changes the warning condition to complain only when a page is not Uptodate and not Error, avoiding false WARN_ON behavior when PageError is set.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with btrfs in use. The source bundle references stable kernel fixes and affected Linux versions, but provides no CVSS score, CWE, distribution package mapping, or confirmed exploitability details.

Exploitation context

No cited source or KEV entry indicates active exploitation. The available description comes from kernel testing and describes a warning triggered during btrfs operations after failed writeout or invalidation timing. Treat this as a kernel reliability concern unless vendor guidance states stronger impact.

Researcher notes

The public record lacks CVSS, CWE, and exploitability analysis. The issue was resolved by Linux stable commits addressing btrfs PageError handling in assert_eb_page_uptodate(). Avoid assuming privilege escalation or remote attack paths from the available evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor kernel containing the referenced stable btrfs fixes.
  • Prioritize systems using btrfs for production storage workloads.
  • If patch status is unclear, check Linux distribution advisories for CVE-2022-48902.
  • Monitor kernel logs for repeated btrfs WARN_ON or extent_io warnings.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts and identify those using btrfs filesystems.
  • Record kernel versions and compare against vendor fixed package guidance.
  • Check whether the referenced stable commits are present in the running kernel source or package changelog.
  • Review kernel logs for assert_eb_page_uptodate or btrfs extent_io warnings.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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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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
1ADP 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

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux0b32f4bbb423f02acee6d43cd442f5f0775db7e0, 0b32f4bbb423f02acee6d43cd442f5f0775db7e0, 0b32f4bbb423f02acee6d43cd442f5f0775db7e0unaffected
LinuxLinux3.4, 0, 5.15.27, 5.16.13, 5.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.