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CVE Record

CVE-2022-50673: ext4: fix use-after-free in ext4_orphan_cleanup

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix use-after-free in ext4_orphan_cleanup I caught a issue as follows: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __list_add_valid+0x28/0x1a0 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88814b13f378 by task mount/710 CPU: 1 PID: 710 Comm: mount Not tainted 6.1.0-rc3-next #370 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x73/0x9f print_report+0x25d/0x759 kasan_report+0xc0/0x120 __asan_load8+0x99/0x140 __list_add_valid+0x28/0x1a0 ext4_orphan_cleanup+0x564/0x9d0 [ext4] __ext4_fill_super+0x48e2/0x5300 [ext4] ext4_fill_super+0x19f/0x3a0 [ext4] get_tree_bdev+0x27b/0x450 ext4_get_tree+0x19/0x30 [ext4] vfs_get_tree+0x49/0x150 path_mount+0xaae/0x1350 do_mount+0xe2/0x110 __x64_sys_mount+0xf0/0x190 do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd </TASK> [...] ================================================================== Above issue may happen as follows: ------------------------------------- ext4_fill_super ext4_orphan_cleanup --- loop1: assume last_orphan is 12 --- list_add(&EXT4_I(inode)->i_orphan, &EXT4_SB(sb)->s_orphan) ext4_truncate --> return 0 ext4_inode_attach_jinode --> return -ENOMEM iput(inode) --> free inode<12> --- loop2: last_orphan is still 12 --- list_add(&EXT4_I(inode)->i_orphan, &EXT4_SB(sb)->s_orphan); // use inode<12> and trigger UAF To solve this issue, we need to propagate the return value of ext4_inode_attach_jinode() appropriately.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel ext4 filesystem bug where cleanup during mount can reuse an inode after it has been freed. The public record does not provide CVSS, impact scoring, or confirmed attacker behavior. Treat it as a kernel stability and possible memory-safety exposure for systems running affected Linux versions with ext4.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel patch management unless your environment mounts untrusted ext4 media or images. Lack of CVSS and exploitation evidence prevents a stronger emergency rating, but kernel memory-safety bugs still merit timely remediation.

Technical view

The flaw is a use-after-free in ext4_orphan_cleanup during ext4 mount handling. If ext4_inode_attach_jinode() fails, its return value was not propagated correctly, allowing orphan cleanup to revisit a freed inode. Kernel stable commits are listed as fixes across multiple branches.

Likely exposure

Likely limited to Linux systems using affected kernel versions and ext4. Exposure depends on whether the system can enter ext4 orphan cleanup during mount. The source bundle does not identify specific distributions, appliances, cloud images, or userland packages.

Exploitation context

The bundle shows a KASAN-detected use-after-free during mount and says KEV is false. It does not cite active exploitation, public exploit code, exploit prerequisites, or attacker-controlled inputs. Do not assume exploitation in the wild from the provided evidence.

Researcher notes

Focus review on ext4 orphan cleanup during mount and error propagation from ext4_inode_attach_jinode(). The provided trace shows reuse of inode 12 after iput frees it. Impact beyond memory corruption is not established in the bundle.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a kernel package containing the listed upstream stable fixes.
  • Check your Linux distribution advisory for the exact fixed package version.
  • Avoid unnecessary mounting of untrusted ext4 filesystems until patched.
  • Prioritize systems where users or services can trigger filesystem mounts.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across ext4-using systems.
  • Map deployed kernels to vendor advisories or the listed stable commits.
  • Confirm patched hosts no longer run affected kernel builds.
  • Review logs for ext4 mount failures or kernel memory-safety warnings.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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-2022-50673 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
8Source 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
LinuxLinux2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13, 2c98eb5ea249767bbc11cf4e70e91d5b0458ed13unaffected
LinuxLinux4.10, 0, 4.19.270, 5.4.229, 5.10.163, 5.15.87, 6.0.18, 6.1.4, 6.2affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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