CVE-2022-3621Public exploit

System crash via corrupted NILFS2 metadata inode

Published Oct 20, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025

Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel NILFS2 allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted filesystem image. A corrupted i_mode value in a metadata-file inode causes nilfs_read_inode_common to skip bmap initialization, leaving nilfs_bmap_lookup_at_level to dereference a null pointer. Access to mount the crafted NILFS2 image is required, and successful triggering crashes the kernel rather than exposing or modifying data.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel NILFS2 allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted filesystem image. A corrupted i_mode value in a metadata-file inode causes nilfs_read_inode_common to skip bmap initialization, leaving nilfs_bmap_lookup_at_level to dereference a null pointer. Access to mount the crafted NILFS2 image is required, and successful triggering crashes the kernel rather than exposing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3621
Published
Oct 20, 2022
Updated
Apr 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-404, CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 20, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

4.3VulDB CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-404Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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