Linux Kernel up to 5.15.60/5.18.17/5.19.1 btrfs hung_task_timeout_secs cow_file_range return value

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.60/5.18.17/5.19.1. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function cow_file_range of the file /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs of the component btrfs. The manipulation results in return value. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2022-50089. There is no exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.60/5.18.17/5.19.1. Affected is the function cow_file_range of the file /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs of the component btrfs. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a return value vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-252. The product does not check the return value from a method or function, which can prevent it from detecting unexpected states and conditions. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: ensure pages are unlocked on cow_file_range() failure There is a hung_task report on zoned btrfs like below. https://github.com/naota/linux/issues/59 [726.328648] INFO: task rocksdb:high0:11085 blocked for more than 241 seconds. [726.329839] Not tainted 5.16.0-rc1+ #1 [726.330484] "echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/hung_task_timeout_secs" disables this message. [726.331603] task:rocksdb:high0 state:D stack: 0 pid:11085 ppid: 11082 flags:0x00000000 [726.331608] Call Trace: [726.331611] <TASK> [726.331614] __schedule+0x2e5/0x9d0 [726.331622] schedule+0x58/0xd0 [726.331626] io_schedule+0x3f/0x70 [726.331629] __folio_lock+0x125/0x200 [726.331634] ? find_get_entries+0x1bc/0x240 [726.331638] ? filemap_invalidate_unlock_two+0x40/0x40 [726.331642] truncate_inode_pages_range+0x5b2/0x770 [726.331649] truncate_inode_pages_final+0x44/0x50 [726.331653] btrfs_evict_inode+0x67/0x480 [726.331658] evict+0xd0/0x180 [726.331661] iput+0x13f/0x200 [726.331664] do_unlinkat+0x1c0/0x2b0 [726.331668] __x64_sys_unlink+0x23/0x30 [726.331670] do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0 [726.331674] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae [726.331677] RIP: 0033:0x7fb9490a171b [726.331681] RSP: 002b:00007fb943ffac68 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000057 [726.331684] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007fb9490a171b [726.331686] RDX: 00007fb943ffb040 RSI: 000055a6bbe6ec20 RDI: 00007fb94400d300 [726.331687] RBP: 00007fb943ffad00 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [726.331688] R10: 0000000000000031 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007fb943ffb000 [726.331690] R13: 00007fb943ffb040 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 00007fb943ffd260 [726.331693] </TASK> While we debug the issue, we found running fstests generic/551 on 5GB non-zoned null_blk device in the emulated zoned mode also had a similar hung issue. Also, we can reproduce the same symptom with an error injected cow_file_range() setup. The hang occurs when cow_file_range() fails in the middle of allocation. cow_file_range() called from do_allocation_zoned() can split the give region ([start, end]) for allocation depending on current block group usages. When btrfs can allocate bytes for one part of the split regions but fails for the other region (e.g. because of -ENOSPC), we return the error leaving the pages in the succeeded regions locked. Technically, this occurs only when @unlock == 0. Otherwise, we unlock the pages in an allocated region after creating an ordered extent. Considering the callers of cow_file_range(unlock=0) won't write out the pages, we can unlock the pages on error exit from cow_file_range(). So, we can ensure all the pages except @locked_page are unlocked on error case. In summary, cow_file_range now behaves like this: - page_started == 1 (return value) - All the pages are unlocked. IO is started. - unlock == 1 - All the pages except @locked_page are unlocked in any case - unlock == 0 - On success, all the pages are locked for writing out them - On failure, all the pages except @locked_page are unlocked

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2022-50089 since 06/18/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 11/30/2025).

Upgrading to version 5.15.61, 5.18.18 or 5.19.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch b367f125c80fa838eae49e3b138dc67dfc9f46ef/9535ec371d741fa037e37eddc0a5b25ba82d0027/e160aa87c87a9c4e0c8d1430235f715a3a91e2cd/9ce7466f372d83054c7494f6b3e4b9abaf3f0355 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1350). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Avamar
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.0
• 5.15.1
• 5.15.2
• 5.15.3
• 5.15.4
• 5.15.5
• 5.15.6
• 5.15.7
• 5.15.8
• 5.15.9
• 5.15.10
• 5.15.11
• 5.15.12
• 5.15.13
• 5.15.14
• 5.15.15
• 5.15.16
• 5.15.17
• 5.15.18
• 5.15.19
• 5.15.20
• 5.15.21
• 5.15.22
• 5.15.23
• 5.15.24
• 5.15.25
• 5.15.26
• 5.15.27
• 5.15.28
• 5.15.29
• 5.15.30
• 5.15.31
• 5.15.32
• 5.15.33
• 5.15.34
• 5.15.35
• 5.15.36
• 5.15.37
• 5.15.38
• 5.15.39
• 5.15.40
• 5.15.41
• 5.15.42
• 5.15.43
• 5.15.44
• 5.15.45
• 5.15.46
• 5.15.47
• 5.15.48
• 5.15.49
• 5.15.50
• 5.15.51
• 5.15.52
• 5.15.53
• 5.15.54
• 5.15.55
• 5.15.56
• 5.15.57
• 5.15.58
• 5.15.59
• 5.15.60
• 5.18.0
• 5.18.1
• 5.18.2
• 5.18.3
• 5.18.4
• 5.18.5
• 5.18.6
• 5.18.7
• 5.18.8
• 5.18.9
• 5.18.10
• 5.18.11
• 5.18.12
• 5.18.13
• 5.18.14
• 5.18.15
• 5.18.16
• 5.18.17
• 5.19.0
• 5.19.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

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