CVE-2022-50367 fs: fix UAF/GPF bug in nilfs_mdt_destroy
A use-after-free bug in the Linux kernel's nilfs filesystem can cause system crashes when inode initialization fails.
- 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-2022-50367?
CVE-2022-50367 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 17 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:
fs: fix UAF/GPF bug in nilfs_mdt_destroy
In alloc_inode, inode_init_always() could return -ENOMEM if security_inode_alloc() fails, which causes inode->i_private uninitialized. Then nilfs_is_metadata_file_inode() returns true and nilfs_free_inode() wrongly calls nilfs_mdt_destroy(), which frees the uninitialized inode->i_private and leads to crashes(e.g., UAF/GPF).
Fix this by moving security_inode_alloc just prior to this_cpu_inc(nr_inodes)
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-50367?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50367?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2022-50367 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-50367 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2022-50367, GHSA-4hcm-79j9-x472, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-50367.