Linux Kernel up to 5.19.16 __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache_locked allocation of resources

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.16. This vulnerability affects the function __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache_locked. The manipulation leads to allocation of resources. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2022-50571. There is not any exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.19.16. This issue affects the function __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache_locked. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a allocation of resources vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-770. The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: call __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache_locked on cache load failure Now that lockdep is staying enabled through our entire CI runs I started seeing the following stack in generic/475 ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 2171864 at fs/btrfs/discard.c:604 btrfs_discard_update_discardable+0x98/0xb0 CPU: 1 PID: 2171864 Comm: kworker/u4:0 Not tainted 5.19.0-rc8+ #789 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.13.0-2.fc32 04/01/2014 Workqueue: btrfs-cache btrfs_work_helper RIP: 0010:btrfs_discard_update_discardable+0x98/0xb0 RSP: 0018:ffffb857c2f7bad0 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff8c85c605c200 RCX: 0000000000000001 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffffffff86807c5b RDI: ffffffff868a831e RBP: ffff8c85c4c54000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: ffff8c85c66932f0 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: ffff8c85c3899010 R13: ffff8c85d5be4f40 R14: ffff8c85c4c54000 R15: ffff8c86114bfa80 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8c863bd00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f2e7f168160 CR3: 000000010289a004 CR4: 0000000000370ee0 Call Trace: __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache+0x27/0x30 load_free_space_cache+0xad2/0xaf0 caching_thread+0x40b/0x650 ? lock_release+0x137/0x2d0 btrfs_work_helper+0xf2/0x3e0 ? lock_is_held_type+0xe2/0x140 process_one_work+0x271/0x590 ? process_one_work+0x590/0x590 worker_thread+0x52/0x3b0 ? process_one_work+0x590/0x590 kthread+0xf0/0x120 ? kthread_complete_and_exit+0x20/0x20 ret_from_fork+0x1f/0x30 This is the code ctl = block_group->free_space_ctl; discard_ctl = &block_group->fs_info->discard_ctl; lockdep_assert_held(&ctl->tree_lock); We have a temporary free space ctl for loading the free space cache in order to avoid having allocations happening while we're loading the cache. When we hit an error we free it all up, however this also calls btrfs_discard_update_discardable, which requires block_group->free_space_ctl->tree_lock to be held. However this is our temporary ctl so this lock isn't held. Fix this by calling __btrfs_remove_free_space_cache_locked instead so that we only clean up the entries and do not mess with the discardable stats.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2022-50571 since 10/22/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 276910 (SUSE SLES12 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:4189-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.19.17 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 819a61301275dcc573e3f520be3dc2c8531bee2d/8a1ae2781dee9fc21ca82db682d37bea4bd074ad 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 databases at Tenable (276910) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2394). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.19.0
• 5.19.1
• 5.19.2
• 5.19.3
• 5.19.4
• 5.19.5
• 5.19.6
• 5.19.7
• 5.19.8
• 5.19.9
• 5.19.10
• 5.19.11
• 5.19.12
• 5.19.13
• 5.19.14
• 5.19.15
• 5.19.16

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Exploitinginfo

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Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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