// For flags

CVE-2022-49707

ext4: add reserved GDT blocks check

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3.1

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: add reserved GDT blocks check We capture a NULL pointer issue when resizing a corrupt ext4 image which
is freshly clear resize_inode feature (not run e2fsck). It could be
simply reproduced by following steps. The problem is because of the
resize_inode feature was cleared, and it will convert the filesystem to
meta_bg mode in ext4_resize_fs(), but the es->s_reserved_gdt_blocks was
not reduced to zero, so could we mistakenly call reserve_backup_gdb()
and passing an uninitialized resize_inode to it when adding new group
descriptors. mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda 3G tune2fs -O ^resize_inode /dev/sda #forget to run requested e2fsck mount /dev/sda /mnt resize2fs /dev/sda 8G ======== BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000028 CPU: 19 PID: 3243 Comm: resize2fs Not tainted 5.18.0-rc7-00001-gfde086c5ebfd #748 ... RIP: 0010:ext4_flex_group_add+0xe08/0x2570 ... Call Trace: <TASK> ext4_resize_fs+0xbec/0x1660 __ext4_ioctl+0x1749/0x24e0 ext4_ioctl+0x12/0x20 __x64_sys_ioctl+0xa6/0x110 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae RIP: 0033:0x7f2dd739617b ======== The fix is simple, add a check in ext4_resize_begin() to make sure that
the es->s_reserved_gdt_blocks is zero when the resize_inode feature is
disabled.

A flaw was found in the ext4 module in the Linux kernel. Resizing a corrupt ext4 image can cause a NULL pointer dereference due to a missing check if the reserved GDT blocks is zero when the resize_inode feature is disabled, resulting in a denial of service.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: add reserved GDT blocks check We capture a NULL pointer issue when resizing a corrupt ext4 image which is freshly clear resize_inode feature (not run e2fsck). It could be simply reproduced by following steps. The problem is because of the resize_inode feature was cleared, and it will convert the filesystem to meta_bg mode in ext4_resize_fs(), but the es->s_reserved_gdt_blocks was not reduced to zero, so could we mistakenly call reserve_backup_gdb() and passing an uninitialized resize_inode to it when adding new group descriptors. mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda 3G tune2fs -O ^resize_inode /dev/sda #forget to run requested e2fsck mount /dev/sda /mnt resize2fs /dev/sda 8G ======== BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000028 CPU: 19 PID: 3243 Comm: resize2fs Not tainted 5.18.0-rc7-00001-gfde086c5ebfd #748 ... RIP: 0010:ext4_flex_group_add+0xe08/0x2570 ... Call Trace: <TASK> ext4_resize_fs+0xbec/0x1660 __ext4_ioctl+0x1749/0x24e0 ext4_ioctl+0x12/0x20 __x64_sys_ioctl+0xa6/0x110 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae RIP: 0033:0x7f2dd739617b ======== The fix is simple, add a check in ext4_resize_begin() to make sure that the es->s_reserved_gdt_blocks is zero when the resize_inode feature is disabled.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Medium
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Published
  • 2025-02-26 CVE Updated
  • 2025-03-30 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 4.9.320
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 4.9.320"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 4.14.285
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 4.14.285"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 4.19.249
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 4.19.249"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 5.4.200
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 5.4.200"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 5.10.124
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 5.10.124"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 5.15.49
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 5.15.49"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 5.18.6
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 5.18.6"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 5.19
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 5.19"
en
Affected