CVE-2022-49707

ext4: add reserved GDT blocks check

Published Feb 26, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2022-54528 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.
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00067}

epss

{'score': 0.00063}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses CWE-476
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description 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.
Title ext4: add reserved GDT blocks check
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 7:05 PM
Reserved
Feb 26, 2025, 2:21 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Feb 26, 2025, 7:01 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 5:18 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Feb 26, 2025, 12:00 AM