CVE-2022-50638

Kernel crash via uninitialized boot-loader inode swap

Published Dec 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Denial of service in the Linux kernel ext4 filesystem allows local users to crash the kernel after a boot-loader inode swap. swap_inode_boot_loader leaves extents uninitialized when the boot-loader inode is bad or not a regular file, then transfers those malformed extents to the target inode. Triggering the failure requires access to issue the ext4 boot-loader swap ioctl and read the swapped target inode, which reaches a BUG_ON in __es_tree_search.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the Linux kernel ext4 filesystem allows local users to crash the kernel after a boot-loader inode swap. swap_inode_boot_loader leaves extents uninitialized when the boot-loader inode is bad or not a regular file, then transfers those malformed extents to the target inode. Triggering the failure requires access to issue the ext4 boot-loader swap ioctl and read the swapped target inode, which reaches a BUG_ON in __es_tree_search.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-50638
Published
Dec 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.10
  2. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613deddd
  3. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee
  4. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed
  5. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <991ed014de0840c5dc405b679168924afb2952ac
  6. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <a125c8806b7d3c3815b6f9f59d395b9d7527b0ef
  7. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <a95ba369255ddcdc5e43d38bc5203537bdf3a518
  8. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <d480a49c15c465cb9a16db1379f4996e9b5bb9cc
  9. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <e76ede9d2c9e0af4573342b56d7cdbf757c18084
  10. Affected versionversion=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <feec0ea94c5ef4aa118750284c8a921698733ef2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.10; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <5f8d36abd2059bf1bd016b17d1fe78d8613deddd; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <71e99ec1315fe98d322b17b9a28f204aaf15ffee; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <78e335fb573e6a85718c4c24d5a052718a99a9ed; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <991ed014de0840c5dc405b679168924afb2952ac; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <a125c8806b7d3c3815b6f9f59d395b9d7527b0ef; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <a95ba369255ddcdc5e43d38bc5203537bdf3a518; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <d480a49c15c465cb9a16db1379f4996e9b5bb9cc; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <e76ede9d2c9e0af4573342b56d7cdbf757c18084; version=393d1d1d76933886d5e1ce603214c9987589c6d5 <feec0ea94c5ef4aa118750284c8a921698733ef2

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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