CVE-2022-50668: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix deadlock due to mbcache entry corruption When manipulating xattr block...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix deadlock due to mbcache entry corruption When manipulating xattr blocks, we can deadlock infinitely looping inside ext4_xattr_block_set() where we constantly keep finding xattr block for reuse in mbcache but we are unable to reuse it because its reference count is too big. This happens because cache entry for the xattr block is marked as reusable (e_reusable set) although its reference count is too big. When this inconsistency happens, this inconsistent state is kept indefinitely and so ext4_xattr_block_set() keeps retrying indefinitely. The inconsistent state is caused by non-atomic update of e_reusable bit. e_reusable is part of a bitfield and e_reusable update can race with update of e_referenced bit in the same bitfield resulting in loss of one of the updates. Fix the problem by using atomic bitops instead. This bug has been around for many years, but it became *much* easier to hit after commit 65f8b80053a1 ("ext4: fix race when reusing xattr blocks").

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.22%

13.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Source: CNA advisory (CVE.org). NVD analysis pending.

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux	>= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < efaa0ca678f56d47316a08030b2515678cebbc50; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < af53065276376750dfac35a7248af18806404c5d; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < 1be16a0c2f10186df505e28b0cc92d7f3366e2a8; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < 5bc0b2fda4b47c86278f7c6d30c211f425bf51cf; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < 127b80cefb941a81255c72f11081123f3a705369; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < cc1538c693d25e282bed8c54b65c914a04023a78; >= 6048c64b26097a0ffbd966866b599f990e674e9b, < a44e84a9b7764c72896f7241a0ec9ac7e7ef38dd
Linux	Linux	4.6

References

Timeline

Published: Dec 9, 2025
Last Modified: Aug 4, 2026
Status: Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-50668?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix deadlock due to mbcache entry corruption When manipulating xattr blocks, we can deadlock infinitely looping inside ext4_xattr_block_set() where we constantly keep finding xattr block for reuse in mbcache but we are unable to reuse it because its reference count is too big. This happens because cache entry for the xattr block is marked as reusable (e_reusable set) although its reference count is too big. When this inconsistency happens, this inconsistent state is kept indefinitely and so ext4_xattr_block_set() keeps retrying indefinitely. The inconsistent state is caused by non-atomic update of e_reusable bit. e_reusable is part of a bitfield and e_reusable update can race with update of e_referenced bit in the same bitfield resulting in loss of one of the updates. Fix the problem by using atomic bitops instead. This bug has been around for many years, but it became *much* easier to hit after commit 65f8b80053a1 ("ext4: fix race when reusing xattr blocks").

How severe is CVE-2022-50668?

CVE-2022-50668 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-50668?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

How Strix Helps

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