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CVE Record

CVE-2022-48903: btrfs: fix relocation crash due to premature return from btrfs_commit_transaction()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: fix relocation crash due to premature return from btrfs_commit_transaction() We are seeing crashes similar to the following trace: [38.969182] WARNING: CPU: 20 PID: 2105 at fs/btrfs/relocation.c:4070 btrfs_relocate_block_group+0x2dc/0x340 [btrfs] [38.973556] CPU: 20 PID: 2105 Comm: btrfs Not tainted 5.17.0-rc4 #54 [38.974580] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.12.0-59-gc9ba5276e321-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 [38.976539] RIP: 0010:btrfs_relocate_block_group+0x2dc/0x340 [btrfs] [38.980336] RSP: 0000:ffffb0dd42e03c20 EFLAGS: 00010206 [38.981218] RAX: ffff96cfc4ede800 RBX: ffff96cfc3ce0000 RCX: 000000000002ca14 [38.982560] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 4cfd109a0bcb5d7f RDI: ffff96cfc3ce0360 [38.983619] RBP: ffff96cfc309c000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [38.984678] R10: ffff96cec0000001 R11: ffffe84c80000000 R12: ffff96cfc4ede800 [38.985735] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: ffff96cfc3ce0360 [38.987146] FS: 00007f11c15218c0(0000) GS:ffff96d6dfb00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [38.988662] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [38.989398] CR2: 00007ffc922c8e60 CR3: 00000001147a6001 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 [38.990279] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [38.991219] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [38.992528] Call Trace: [38.992854] <TASK> [38.993148] btrfs_relocate_chunk+0x27/0xe0 [btrfs] [38.993941] btrfs_balance+0x78e/0xea0 [btrfs] [38.994801] ? vsnprintf+0x33c/0x520 [38.995368] ? __kmalloc_track_caller+0x351/0x440 [38.996198] btrfs_ioctl_balance+0x2b9/0x3a0 [btrfs] [38.997084] btrfs_ioctl+0x11b0/0x2da0 [btrfs] [38.997867] ? mod_objcg_state+0xee/0x340 [38.998552] ? seq_release+0x24/0x30 [38.999184] ? proc_nr_files+0x30/0x30 [38.999654] ? call_rcu+0xc8/0x2f0 [39.000228] ? __x64_sys_ioctl+0x84/0xc0 [39.000872] ? btrfs_ioctl_get_supported_features+0x30/0x30 [btrfs] [39.001973] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x84/0xc0 [39.002566] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0x80 [39.003011] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [39.003735] RIP: 0033:0x7f11c166959b [39.007324] RSP: 002b:00007fff2543e998 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000010 [39.008521] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f11c1521698 RCX: 00007f11c166959b [39.009833] RDX: 00007fff2543ea40 RSI: 00000000c4009420 RDI: 0000000000000003 [39.011270] RBP: 0000000000000003 R08: 0000000000000013 R09: 00007f11c16f94e0 [39.012581] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007fff25440df3 [39.014046] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 00007fff2543ea40 R15: 0000000000000001 [39.015040] </TASK> [39.015418] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- [43.131559] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [43.132234] kernel BUG at fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c:2717! [43.133031] invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI [43.133702] CPU: 1 PID: 1839 Comm: btrfs Tainted: G W 5.17.0-rc4 #54 [43.134863] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS rel-1.12.0-59-gc9ba5276e321-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 [43.136426] RIP: 0010:unpin_extent_range+0x37a/0x4f0 [btrfs] [43.139913] RSP: 0000:ffffb0dd4216bc70 EFLAGS: 00010246 [43.140629] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff96cfc34490f8 RCX: 0000000000000001 [43.141604] RDX: 0000000080000001 RSI: 0000000051d00000 RDI: 00000000ffffffff [43.142645] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffff96cfd07dca50 [43.143669] R10: ffff96cfc46e8a00 R11: fffffffffffec000 R12: 0000000041d00000 [43.144657] R13: ffff96cfc3ce0000 R14: ffffb0dd4216bd08 R15: 0000000000000000 [43.145686] FS: 00007f7657dd68c0(0000) GS:ffff96d6df640000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [43.146808] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [43.147584] CR2: 00007f7fe81bf5b0 CR3: 00000001093ee004 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 [43.148589] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [43.149581] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 00000000000 ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-48903 is a Linux kernel Btrfs bug that can crash the kernel during filesystem relocation or balance operations. The business impact is mainly availability for systems using Btrfs. Public sources do not provide CVSS, CWE, or evidence of active exploitation.

Executive priority

Prioritize patching if Btrfs is used on business-critical Linux systems. For environments not using Btrfs, urgency is lower but kernel lifecycle tracking is still appropriate. There is no cited evidence of active exploitation.

Technical view

The flaw is in Btrfs relocation handling. A premature return from btrfs_commit_transaction() can leave relocation state inconsistent, leading to warnings and a kernel BUG in Btrfs extent handling. The trace shows btrfs balance via ioctl leading into relocation code. Stable kernel commits are referenced as fixes.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with Btrfs filesystems, especially where Btrfs balance or relocation operations occur. The CVE record lists affected Linux kernel version ranges and stable fixes, but organizations should verify their distribution backports.

Exploitation context

No public source in the bundle reports active exploitation, and CISA KEV is false. The available evidence describes a crash condition reached through Btrfs filesystem operations, not remote exploitation. Impact should be treated as local availability risk unless vendor guidance says otherwise.

Researcher notes

The source bundle lacks CVSS, CWE, CPE detail, and exploitation reporting. Affected-version data is kernel-level and may not map directly to distribution packages. Validate exposure through actual Btrfs use and vendor backport status rather than upstream version numbers alone.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor kernel containing the referenced Btrfs stable fixes.
  • Prioritize systems using Btrfs for production or critical storage.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes and exact package versions.
  • Avoid nonessential Btrfs balance or relocation operations until patched, where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory systems running Linux kernels in the affected ranges.
  • Identify hosts with mounted or configured Btrfs filesystems.
  • Confirm installed kernels include the referenced stable commits or vendor backports.
  • Review kernel logs for Btrfs relocation warnings, BUG messages, or balance-related crashes.
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

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

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CVE-2022-48903 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
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

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxd0c2f4fa555e70324ec2a129b822ab58f172cc62, d0c2f4fa555e70324ec2a129b822ab58f172cc62, d0c2f4fa555e70324ec2a129b822ab58f172cc62unaffected
LinuxLinux5.12, 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.