Kernel crash via stale discard-thread pointer
Published Dec 8, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel F2FS allows attackers to crash the kernel during affected file-system teardown. The f2fs_start_discard_thread() error path leaves dcc->f2fs_issue_discard pointing at an invalid task, which kthread_stop() later dereferences. Reachability requires F2FS teardown after discard-thread startup fails, and the resulting fault interrupts the host.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel F2FS allows attackers to crash the kernel during affected file-system teardown. The f2fs_start_discard_thread() error path leaves dcc->f2fs_issue_discard pointing at an invalid task, which kthread_stop() later dereferences. Reachability requires F2FS teardown after discard-thread startup fails, and the resulting fault interrupts the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-50620
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 8, 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=4d67490498acb4ffcef5ba7bc44990d46e66a44c <865bb7b5a7deeb0e5afbd82381d52d38825dc64d
- Affected versionversion=4d67490498acb4ffcef5ba7bc44990d46e66a44c <91586ce0d39a05f88795aa8814fb99b1387236b3
- Affected versionversion=4d67490498acb4ffcef5ba7bc44990d46e66a44c <a3e517a6ba695d683ee63615e1ea6e6b4c7d2732
- Affected versionversion=4d67490498acb4ffcef5ba7bc44990d46e66a44c <ae6c960a82c52c3bda5adc82d90643d6c12d308e
- Affected versionversion=5.15
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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