CVE-2022-50346 ext4: init quota for 'old.inode' in 'ext4_rename'

Medium 5.5 Published 16 Sep 2025 Updated 11 May 2026

A missing quota initialization in the Linux kernel ext4 filesystem can cause a kernel warning and potential denial of service during file rename operations.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2022-50346?

CVE-2022-50346 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Sep 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ext4: init quota for 'old.inode' in 'ext4_rename'

Syzbot found the following issue: ext4_parse_param: s_want_extra_isize=128 ext4_inode_info_init: s_want_extra_isize=32 ext4_rename: old.inode=ffff88823869a2c8 old.dir=ffff888238699828 new.inode=ffff88823869d7e8 new.dir=ffff888238699828 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty: inode=ffff888238699828 ea_isize=32 want_ea_size=128 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty: inode=ffff88823869a2c8 ea_isize=32 want_ea_size=128 ext4_xattr_block_set: inode=ffff88823869a2c8 ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 13 PID: 2234 at fs/ext4/xattr.c:2070 ext4_xattr_block_set.cold+0x22/0x980 Modules linked in: RIP: 0010:ext4_xattr_block_set.cold+0x22/0x980 RSP: 0018:ffff888227d3f3b0 EFLAGS: 00010202 RAX: 0000000000000001 RBX: ffff88823007a000 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000a03 RSI: 0000000000000040 RDI: ffff888230078178 RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 000000000000002c R09: ffffed1075c7df8e R10: ffff8883ae3efc6b R11: ffffed1075c7df8d R12: 0000000000000000 R13: ffff88823869a2c8 R14: ffff8881012e0460 R15: dffffc0000000000 FS: 00007f350ac1f740(0000) GS:ffff8883ae200000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f350a6ed6a0 CR3: 0000000237456000 CR4: 00000000000006e0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ? ext4_xattr_set_entry+0x3b7/0x2320 ? ext4_xattr_block_set+0x0/0x2020 ? ext4_xattr_set_entry+0x0/0x2320 ? ext4_xattr_check_entries+0x77/0x310 ? ext4_xattr_ibody_set+0x23b/0x340 ext4_xattr_move_to_block+0x594/0x720 ext4_expand_extra_isize_ea+0x59a/0x10f0 __ext4_expand_extra_isize+0x278/0x3f0 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty.cold+0x347/0x410 ext4_rename+0xed3/0x174f vfs_rename+0x13a7/0x2510 do_renameat2+0x55d/0x920 __x64_sys_rename+0x7d/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xa0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc

As 'ext4_rename' will modify 'old.inode' ctime and mark inode dirty, which may trigger expand 'extra_isize' and allocate block. If inode didn't init quota will lead to warning. To solve above issue, init 'old.inode' firstly in 'ext4_rename'.

Weakness: CWE-908

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50346?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2022-50346?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2022-50346 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50346 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50346, GHSA-j3gp-gm3j-39rf, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50346.