nilfs2: fix deadlock in nilfs_count_free_blocks()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-667 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nilfs2: fix deadlock in nilfs_count_free_blocks() A semaphore deadlock can occur if nilfs_get_block() detects metadata corruption while locating data blocks and a superblock writeback occurs at the same time: task 1 task 2 ------ ------ * A file operation * nilfs_truncate() nilfs_get_block() down_read(rwsem A) <-- nilfs_bmap_lookup_contig() ... generic_shutdown_super() nilfs_put_super() * Prepare to write superblock * down_write(rwsem B) <-- nilfs_cleanup_super() * Detect b-tree corruption * nilfs_set_log_cursor() nilfs_bmap_convert_error() nilfs_count_free_blocks() __nilfs_error() down_read(rwsem A) <-- nilfs_set_error() down_write(rwsem B) <-- *** DEADLOCK *** Here, nilfs_get_block() readlocks rwsem A (= NILFS_MDT(dat_inode)->mi_sem) and then calls nilfs_bmap_lookup_contig(), but if it fails due to metadata corruption, __nilfs_error() is called from nilfs_bmap_convert_error() inside the lock section. Since __nilfs_error() calls nilfs_set_error() unless the filesystem is read-only and nilfs_set_error() attempts to writelock rwsem B (= nilfs->ns_sem) to write back superblock exclusively, hierarchical lock acquisition occurs in the order rwsem A -> rwsem B. Now, if another task starts updating the superblock, it may writelock rwsem B during the lock sequence above, and can deadlock trying to readlock rwsem A in nilfs_count_free_blocks(). However, there is actually no need to take rwsem A in nilfs_count_free_blocks() because it, within the lock section, only reads a single integer data on a shared struct with nilfs_sufile_get_ncleansegs(). This has been the case after commit aa474a220180 ("nilfs2: add local variable to cache the number of clean segments"), that is, even before this bug was introduced. So, this resolves the deadlock problem by just not taking the semaphore in nilfs_count_free_blocks().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.38 and later | 4.9.334, 4.14.300, 4.19.267, 5.4.225, 5.10.155, 5.15.79, 6.0.9, 6.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.38 and later Fixed in 4.9.334, 4.14.300, 4.19.267, 5.4.225, 5.10.155, 5.15.79, 6.0.9, 6.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 to before 4.9.334; 4.10 to before 4.14.300; 4.15 to before 4.19.267; 4.20 to before 5.4.225; 5.5 to before 5.10.155; 5.11 to before 5.15.79; 5.16 to before 6.0.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 to before 4.9.334; 4.10 to before 4.14.300; 4.15 to before 4.19.267; 4.20 to before 5.4.225; 5.5 to before 5.10.155; 5.11 to before 5.15.79; 5.16 to before 6.0.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.9.334, 4.14.300, 4.19.267, 5.4.225, 5.10.155, 5.15.79, 6.0.9, 6.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-49850
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m8x7-f64c-28w3
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c89ca6d3dfa6c09c515807a7a97a521f5d5147e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b4506cff6630bb474bb46a2a75c31e533a756ba
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f0cc93080d4c09510b74ecba87fd778cca390bb1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36ff974b0310771417c0be64b64aa221bd70d63d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d4ff73062096c21b47954d2996b4df259777bda
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/abc082aac0d9b6b926038fc3adb7008306581be2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cb029b54953420f7a2d65100f1c5107f14411bdc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ac932a4921a96ca52f61935dbba64ea87bbd5dc
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2022-49850 · CVE Program
- CVE-2022-49850 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-m8x7-f64c-28w3 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2022-49850 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences