Vulnerability in the Linux Kernel: ext4 Filesystem Handling Issues

CVE-2022-50346

What is CVE-2022-50346?

A defect in the Linux kernel's ext4 filesystem has been identified, specifically related to the ext4_rename function. The issue occurs when old.inode is not initialized correctly, leading to potential modifications of ctime and marking the inode as dirty. This mismanagement can trigger a process to expand extra_isize and allocate blocks incorrectly, which may result in warnings during inode operations. The bug was identified by Syzbot, highlighting the importance of initializing quota for old.inode prior to execution. The resolution to this vulnerability involves ensuring proper initialization in the ext4_rename function to maintain filesystem integrity and avoid unexpected behaviors.

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