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CVE Record

CVE-2022-49880: ext4: fix warning in 'ext4_da_release_space'

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix warning in 'ext4_da_release_space' Syzkaller report issue as follows: EXT4-fs (loop0): Free/Dirty block details EXT4-fs (loop0): free_blocks=0 EXT4-fs (loop0): dirty_blocks=0 EXT4-fs (loop0): Block reservation details EXT4-fs (loop0): i_reserved_data_blocks=0 EXT4-fs warning (device loop0): ext4_da_release_space:1527: ext4_da_release_space: ino 18, to_free 1 with only 0 reserved data blocks ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 92 at fs/ext4/inode.c:1528 ext4_da_release_space+0x25e/0x370 fs/ext4/inode.c:1524 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 92 Comm: kworker/u4:4 Not tainted 6.0.0-syzkaller-09423-g493ffd6605b2 #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/22/2022 Workqueue: writeback wb_workfn (flush-7:0) RIP: 0010:ext4_da_release_space+0x25e/0x370 fs/ext4/inode.c:1528 RSP: 0018:ffffc900015f6c90 EFLAGS: 00010296 RAX: 42215896cd52ea00 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 42215896cd52ea00 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000080000001 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: 1ffff1100e907d96 R08: ffffffff816aa79d R09: fffff520002bece5 R10: fffff520002bece5 R11: 1ffff920002bece4 R12: ffff888021fd2000 R13: ffff88807483ecb0 R14: 0000000000000001 R15: ffff88807483e740 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8880b9a00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00005555569ba628 CR3: 000000000c88e000 CR4: 00000000003506f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ext4_es_remove_extent+0x1ab/0x260 fs/ext4/extents_status.c:1461 mpage_release_unused_pages+0x24d/0xef0 fs/ext4/inode.c:1589 ext4_writepages+0x12eb/0x3be0 fs/ext4/inode.c:2852 do_writepages+0x3c3/0x680 mm/page-writeback.c:2469 __writeback_single_inode+0xd1/0x670 fs/fs-writeback.c:1587 writeback_sb_inodes+0xb3b/0x18f0 fs/fs-writeback.c:1870 wb_writeback+0x41f/0x7b0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2044 wb_do_writeback fs/fs-writeback.c:2187 [inline] wb_workfn+0x3cb/0xef0 fs/fs-writeback.c:2227 process_one_work+0x877/0xdb0 kernel/workqueue.c:2289 worker_thread+0xb14/0x1330 kernel/workqueue.c:2436 kthread+0x266/0x300 kernel/kthread.c:376 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:306 </TASK> Above issue may happens as follows: ext4_da_write_begin ext4_create_inline_data ext4_clear_inode_flag(inode, EXT4_INODE_EXTENTS); ext4_set_inode_flag(inode, EXT4_INODE_INLINE_DATA); __ext4_ioctl ext4_ext_migrate -> will lead to eh->eh_entries not zero, and set extent flag ext4_da_write_begin ext4_da_convert_inline_data_to_extent ext4_da_write_inline_data_begin ext4_da_map_blocks ext4_insert_delayed_block if (!ext4_es_scan_clu(inode, &ext4_es_is_delonly, lblk)) if (!ext4_es_scan_clu(inode, &ext4_es_is_mapped, lblk)) ext4_clu_mapped(inode, EXT4_B2C(sbi, lblk)); -> will return 1 allocated = true; ext4_es_insert_delayed_block(inode, lblk, allocated); ext4_writepages mpage_map_and_submit_extent(handle, &mpd, &give_up_on_write); -> return -ENOSPC mpage_release_unused_pages(&mpd, give_up_on_write); -> give_up_on_write == 1 ext4_es_remove_extent ext4_da_release_space(inode, reserved); if (unlikely(to_free > ei->i_reserved_data_blocks)) -> to_free == 1 but ei->i_reserved_data_blocks == 0 -> then trigger warning as above To solve above issue, forbid inode do migrate which has inline data.

MediumCVSS 5.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2022-49880 is a Linux kernel ext4 filesystem flaw that can trigger a kernel warning during writeback handling. The business risk is availability, not data theft. A local low-privileged user is required, and the source bundle does not show active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat this as a standard kernel availability patch, not an emergency remote compromise. Prioritize normal kernel update cycles, with faster action for systems that allow untrusted local users.

Technical view

The issue is in ext4 delayed allocation accounting. Migration involving an inode with inline data can lead to ext4_da_release_space attempting to release more reserved blocks than exist, producing a warning. The upstream fix forbids inode migration when inline data is present.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with ext4 available. The CVSS vector indicates local access and low privileges are required; there is no cited remote attack path.

Exploitation context

The public source describes a Syzkaller-triggered kernel warning and gives a local, low-privilege availability-focused CVSS vector. KEV is false, and the bundle provides no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation.

Researcher notes

Affected data is limited in the bundle. The root cause is an ext4 inline-data-to-extent migration path causing delayed allocation reservation mismatch. The documented fix direction is to forbid migration for inodes that have inline data.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced stable ext4 fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for fixed package versions and rollout guidance.
  • Prioritize shared, multi-user, or untrusted local access systems first.
  • If immediate patching is blocked, reduce untrusted local access where practical.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across systems using ext4 filesystems.
  • Compare installed kernels with vendor advisories and the referenced stable commits.
  • Review kernel logs for ext4_da_release_space or related ext4 warning messages.
  • Confirm patched kernels are running after maintenance or reboot windows.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
10

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-2022-49880 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

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

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

5.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2022-49880Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

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
cvssV3_1other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947, 67cf5b09a46f72e048501b84996f2f77bc42e947unaffected
LinuxLinux3.8, 0, 4.9.333, 4.14.299, 4.19.265, 5.4.224, 5.10.154, 5.15.78, 6.0.8, 6.1affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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