CVE-2022-50067
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-06-18

Last updated on: 2025-11-17

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: unset reloc control if transaction commit fails in prepare_to_relocate() In btrfs_relocate_block_group(), the rc is allocated. Then btrfs_relocate_block_group() calls relocate_block_group() prepare_to_relocate() set_reloc_control() that assigns rc to the variable fs_info->reloc_ctl. When prepare_to_relocate() returns, it calls btrfs_commit_transaction() btrfs_start_dirty_block_groups() btrfs_alloc_path() kmem_cache_zalloc() which may fail for example (or other errors could happen). When the failure occurs, btrfs_relocate_block_group() detects the error and frees rc and doesn't set fs_info->reloc_ctl to NULL. After that, in btrfs_init_reloc_root(), rc is retrieved from fs_info->reloc_ctl and then used, which may cause a use-after-free bug. This possible bug can be triggered by calling btrfs_ioctl_balance() before calling btrfs_ioctl_defrag(). To fix this possible bug, in prepare_to_relocate(), check if btrfs_commit_transaction() fails. If the failure occurs, unset_reloc_control() is called to set fs_info->reloc_ctl to NULL. The error log in our fault-injection testing is shown as follows: [ 58.751070] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in btrfs_init_reloc_root+0x7ca/0x920 [btrfs] ... [ 58.753577] Call Trace: ... [ 58.755800] kasan_report+0x45/0x60 [ 58.756066] btrfs_init_reloc_root+0x7ca/0x920 [btrfs] [ 58.757304] record_root_in_trans+0x792/0xa10 [btrfs] [ 58.757748] btrfs_record_root_in_trans+0x463/0x4f0 [btrfs] [ 58.758231] start_transaction+0x896/0x2950 [btrfs] [ 58.758661] btrfs_defrag_root+0x250/0xc00 [btrfs] [ 58.759083] btrfs_ioctl_defrag+0x467/0xa00 [btrfs] [ 58.759513] btrfs_ioctl+0x3c95/0x114e0 [btrfs] ... [ 58.768510] Allocated by task 23683: [ 58.768777] ____kasan_kmalloc+0xb5/0xf0 [ 58.769069] __kmalloc+0x227/0x3d0 [ 58.769325] alloc_reloc_control+0x10a/0x3d0 [btrfs] [ 58.769755] btrfs_relocate_block_group+0x7aa/0x1e20 [btrfs] [ 58.770228] btrfs_relocate_chunk+0xf1/0x760 [btrfs] [ 58.770655] __btrfs_balance+0x1326/0x1f10 [btrfs] [ 58.771071] btrfs_balance+0x3150/0x3d30 [btrfs] [ 58.771472] btrfs_ioctl_balance+0xd84/0x1410 [btrfs] [ 58.771902] btrfs_ioctl+0x4caa/0x114e0 [btrfs] ... [ 58.773337] Freed by task 23683: ... [ 58.774815] kfree+0xda/0x2b0 [ 58.775038] free_reloc_control+0x1d6/0x220 [btrfs] [ 58.775465] btrfs_relocate_block_group+0x115c/0x1e20 [btrfs] [ 58.775944] btrfs_relocate_chunk+0xf1/0x760 [btrfs] [ 58.776369] __btrfs_balance+0x1326/0x1f10 [btrfs] [ 58.776784] btrfs_balance+0x3150/0x3d30 [btrfs] [ 58.777185] btrfs_ioctl_balance+0xd84/0x1410 [btrfs] [ 58.777621] btrfs_ioctl+0x4caa/0x114e0 [btrfs] ...
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Meta Information
Published
2025-06-18
Last Modified
2025-11-17
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-06-18
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2022-50067
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 7 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.0
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
linux linux_kernel From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-416 The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability is a use-after-free bug in the Linux kernel's btrfs filesystem code. Specifically, when relocating block groups, if a transaction commit fails during the relocation process, the system frees a control structure but does not clear its reference. Later, the system attempts to use this freed memory, leading to a use-after-free condition. This can be triggered by calling btrfs_ioctl_balance() before btrfs_ioctl_defrag(). The fix involves checking for transaction commit failure and unsetting the control reference to prevent use-after-free.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can cause a use-after-free condition in the btrfs filesystem, which may lead to system instability, crashes, or potential kernel memory corruption. Exploiting this bug could allow an attacker to cause denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, impacting system security and reliability.


How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring the system logs for use-after-free errors related to btrfs, specifically messages from KASAN (Kernel Address Sanitizer) indicating a use-after-free in btrfs_init_reloc_root. You can check the kernel logs using commands like 'dmesg | grep -i btrfs' or 'journalctl -k | grep -i btrfs' to look for such error messages.


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

Immediate mitigation steps include avoiding the sequence of btrfs ioctl calls that can trigger the bug, specifically not calling btrfs_ioctl_balance() before btrfs_ioctl_defrag(). Additionally, updating the Linux kernel to a version where this vulnerability is fixed is recommended.


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