CVE-2022-50546

Uninitialized-value access via unset inode flags

Published Oct 7, 2025 · Updated Oct 7, 2025

Use of an uninitialized resource in Linux kernel ext4 allows local users to trigger an uninitialized-value access during inode eviction. ext4_alloc_inode leaves ei->i_flags unset; if __ext4_new_inode fails before initializing it and calls iput, ext4_evict_inode reads that uninitialized field. Reachability requires local filesystem operations and an inode-creation failure; the kernel record states no concrete security consequence beyond the invalid read.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use of an uninitialized resource in Linux kernel ext4 allows local users to trigger an uninitialized-value access during inode eviction. ext4_alloc_inode leaves ei->i_flags unset; if __ext4_new_inode fails before initializing it and calls iput, ext4_evict_inode reads that uninitialized field. Reachability requires local filesystem operations and an inode-creation failure; the kernel record states no concrete security consequence beyond the invalid read.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50546
Published
Oct 7, 2025
Updated
Oct 7, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 7, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0b885394fd009aa0b46d81b496a816ab11309f8a <3c31d8d3ad95aef8cc17a4fcf317e46217148439
  2. Affected versionversion=0e6fbc566fcc4c230bf80f76cf5df26b42142d8a <091f85db4c3fb1734a6d7fb4777a2b2831da6631
  3. Affected versionversion=458aee4a6e5be7ad862ee27dfaf07ce552d84f32
  4. Affected versionversion=6.0
  5. Affected versionversion=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <56491d60ddca9c697d885394cb0173675b9ab81f
  6. Affected versionversion=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <7ea71af94eaaaf6d9aed24bc94a05b977a741cb9
  7. Affected versionversion=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <9f966e021c20caae639dd0e404c8761e8281a2c4
  8. Affected versionversion=819d16f7feaca0f2ed3409be14fe953127fc51b6
  9. Affected versionversion=a5f9bd4beae8553480d02b569d4aabee1b49345d <e431b4fb1fb8c2654b808086e9747a000adb9655
  10. Affected versionversion=bb337d8dd1e1d6b7719872e45e36392f3ab14b4f <f0bffdcc7cb14598af2aa706f1e0f2a9054154ba

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0b885394fd009aa0b46d81b496a816ab11309f8a <3c31d8d3ad95aef8cc17a4fcf317e46217148439; version=0e6fbc566fcc4c230bf80f76cf5df26b42142d8a <091f85db4c3fb1734a6d7fb4777a2b2831da6631; version=458aee4a6e5be7ad862ee27dfaf07ce552d84f32; version=6.0; version=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <56491d60ddca9c697d885394cb0173675b9ab81f; version=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <7ea71af94eaaaf6d9aed24bc94a05b977a741cb9; version=6bc0d63dad7f9f54d381925ee855b402f652fa39 <9f966e021c20caae639dd0e404c8761e8281a2c4; version=819d16f7feaca0f2ed3409be14fe953127fc51b6; version=a5f9bd4beae8553480d02b569d4aabee1b49345d <e431b4fb1fb8c2654b808086e9747a000adb9655; version=bb337d8dd1e1d6b7719872e45e36392f3ab14b4f <f0bffdcc7cb14598af2aa706f1e0f2a9054154ba

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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