Kernel crash via unchecked ext2 inode counts
Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
Improper ext2 superblock validation in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the host via a corrupted filesystem. ext2_fill_super accepts fewer than one block of inodes per group and does not verify the total against the product of group count and inodes per group. Reachability requires the kernel to process attacker-controlled ext2 metadata; triggering interrupts the host without reported data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Improper ext2 superblock validation in affected Linux kernels allows local users to crash the host via a corrupted filesystem. ext2_fill_super accepts fewer than one block of inodes per group and does not verify the total against the product of group count and inodes per group. Reachability requires the kernel to process attacker-controlled ext2 metadata; triggering interrupts the host without reported data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-50205
- Published
- Jun 18, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <07303a9abe3a997d9864fb4315e34b5acfe8fc25
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0bcdc31094a12b4baf59e241feabc9787cf635fa
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5e63c5fe9123fa76ffaeff26c211308736ec3a07
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7a48fdc88a3c35e046a6a0a38eba00f21c65b16e
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <96b18d3a1be0354ccce43f0ef61b5a3d7e432552
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b3f423683818cfe15de14d5d9dff44148ff16bbf
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d08bb199a406424a8ed0009efdf41710e6d849ee
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fa78f336937240d1bc598db817d638086060e7e9
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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