CVE-2022-49414
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ext4 filesystem allows concurrent write operations to corrupt filesystem metadata, potentially causing system crashes or data corruption. This affects Linux systems using ext4 filesystem with inline data enabled. Attackers with local access can trigger this condition.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash, filesystem corruption, and potential data loss requiring filesystem repair or restoration from backups.
Likely Case
System crash or filesystem errors requiring reboot, with possible data corruption in affected files.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact from additional locking, but no security or stability issues.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger specific race condition between write and fallocate operations. Not trivial to exploit reliably.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel 5.10.0+ with specific commits: 14602353b350, 18881d7e5171, 725e00cb7039, 91f90b571f1a, ccc6639f831b
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14602353b350950b551eccc6b46411aa3b12ffe2
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version 5.10.0 or later. 2. For older stable branches, apply specific kernel patches. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ext4 inline data
linuxDisable the inline data feature on ext4 filesystems to prevent the race condition
tune2fs -O ^inline_data /dev/device
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system logs for ext4 filesystem errors and kernel panics
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version: uname -r and verify if below 5.10.0. Check if ext4 filesystem has inline_data feature: tune2fs -l /dev/device | grep featuresCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is 5.10.0 or later: uname -r. Check that kernel includes the fix commits.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel BUG messages mentioning ext4_mb_generate_buddy
- EXT4-fs error messages
- Kernel panic logs related to ext4
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("EXT4-fs error" OR "ext4_mb_generate_buddy" OR "kernel BUG at fs/ext4")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14602353b350950b551eccc6b46411aa3b12ffe2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/18881d7e517169193d9ef6c89c7f322e3e164277
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/725e00cb7039eae291890f1bb19bc867176745f6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91f90b571f1a23f5b8a9c2b68a9aa5d6981a3c3d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ccc6639f831bee91aa8b41c8a1cdd020ecfb9f32
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f87c7a4b084afc13190cbb263538e444cb2b392a
