CVE-2022-50549

CVE-2022-50549 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-667.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dm thin: Fix ABBA deadlock between shrink_slab and dm_pool_abort_metadata Following concurrent processes: P1(drop cache) P2(kworker) drop_caches_sysctl_handler drop_slab shrink_slab down_read(&shrinker_rwsem) - LOCK A do_shrink_slab super_cache_scan prune_icache_sb dispose_list evict ext4_evict_inode ext4_clear_inode ext4_discard_preallocations ext4_mb_load_buddy_gfp ext4_mb_init_cache ext4_read_block_bitmap_nowait ext4_read_bh_nowait submit_bh dm_submit_bio do_worker process_deferred_bios commit metadata_operation_failed dm_pool_abort_metadata down_write(&pmd->root_lock) - LOCK B __destroy_persistent_data_objects dm_block_manager_destroy dm_bufio_client_destroy unregister_shrinker down_write(&shrinker_rwsem) thin_map | dm_thin_find_block ↓ down_read(&pmd->root_lock) --> ABBA deadlock , which triggers hung task: [ 76.974820] INFO: task kworker/u4:3:63 blocked for more than 15 seconds. [ 76.976019] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4-00011-g8f17dd350364-dirty #910 [ 76.978521] task:kworker/u4:3 state:D stack:0 pid:63 ppid:2 [ 76.978534] Workqueue: dm-thin do_worker [ 76.978552] Call Trace: [ 76.978564] __schedule+0x6ba/0x10f0 [ 76.978582] schedule+0x9d/0x1e0 [ 76.978588] rwsem_down_write_slowpath+0x587/0xdf0 [ 76.978600] down_write+0xec/0x110 [ 76.978607] unregister_shrinker+0x2c/0xf0 [ 76.978616] dm_bufio_client_destroy+0x116/0x3d0 [ 76.978625] dm_block_manager_destroy+0x19/0x40 [ 76.978629] __destroy_persistent_data_objects+0x5e/0x70 [ 76.978636] dm_pool_abort_metadata+0x8e/0x100 [ 76.978643] metadata_operation_failed+0x86/0x110 [ 76.978649] commit+0x6a/0x230 [ 76.978655] do_worker+0xc6e/0xd90 [ 76.978702] process_one_work+0x269/0x630 [ 76.978714] worker_thread+0x266/0x630 [ 76.978730] kthread+0x151/0x1b0 [ 76.978772] INFO: task test.sh:2646 blocked for more than 15 seconds. [ 76.979756] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4-00011-g8f17dd350364-dirty #910 [ 76.982111] task:test.sh state:D stack:0 pid:2646 ppid:2459 [ 76.982128] Call Trace: [ 76.982139] __schedule+0x6ba/0x10f0 [ 76.982155] schedule+0x9d/0x1e0 [ 76.982159] rwsem_down_read_slowpath+0x4f4/0x910 [ 76.982173] down_read+0x84/0x170 [ 76.982177] dm_thin_find_block+0x4c/0xd0 [ 76.982183] thin_map+0x201/0x3d0 [ 76.982188] __map_bio+0x5b/0x350 [ 76.982195] dm_submit_bio+0x2b6/0x930 [ 76.982202] __submit_bio+0x123/0x2d0 [ 76.982209] submit_bio_noacct_nocheck+0x101/0x3e0 [ 76.982222] submit_bio_noacct+0x389/0x770 [ 76.982227] submit_bio+0x50/0xc0 [ 76.982232] submit_bh_wbc+0x15e/0x230 [ 76.982238] submit_bh+0x14/0x20 [ 76.982241] ext4_read_bh_nowait+0xc5/0x130 [ 76.982247] ext4_read_block_bitmap_nowait+0x340/0xc60 [ 76.982254] ext4_mb_init_cache+0x1ce/0xdc0 [ 76.982259] ext4_mb_load_buddy_gfp+0x987/0xfa0 [ 76.982263] ext4_discard_preallocations+0x45d/0x830 [ 76.982274] ext4_clear_inode+0x48/0xf0 [ 76.982280] ext4_evict_inode+0xcf/0xc70 [ 76.982285] evict+0x119/0x2b0 [ 76.982290] dispose_list+0x43/0xa0 [ 76.982294] prune_icache_sb+0x64/0x90 [ 76.982298] super_cache_scan+0x155/0x210 [ 76.982303] do_shrink_slab+0x19e/0x4e0 [ 76.982310] shrink_slab+0x2bd/0x450 [ 76.982317] drop_slab+0xcc/0x1a0 [ 76.982323] drop_caches_sysctl_handler+0xb7/0xe0 [ 76.982327] proc_sys_call_handler+0x1bc/0x300 [ 76.982331] proc_sys_write+0x17/0x20 [ 76.982334] vfs_write+0x3d3/0x570 [ 76.982342] ksys_write+0x73/0x160 [ 76.982347] __x64_sys_write+0x1e/0x30 [ 76.982352] do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 [ 76.982357] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd Funct ---truncated---

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-50549?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dm thin: Fix ABBA deadlock between shrink_slab and dm_pool_abort_metadata Following concurrent processes: P1(drop cache) P2(kworker) drop_caches_sysctl_handler drop_slab shrink_slab down_read(&shrinker_rwsem) - LOCK A do_shrink_slab super_cache_scan prune_icache_sb dispose_list evict ext4_evict_inode ext4_clear_inode ext4_discard_preallocations ext4_mb_load_buddy_gfp ext4_mb_init_cache ext4_read_block_bitmap_nowait ext4_read_bh_nowait submit_bh dm_submit_bio do_worker process_deferred_bios commit metadata_operation_failed dm_pool_abort_metadata down_write(&pmd->root_lock) - LOCK B __destroy_persistent_data_objects dm_block_manager_destroy dm_bufio_client_destroy unregister_shrinker down_write(&shrinker_rwsem) thin_map | dm_thin_find_block ↓ down_read(&pmd->root_lock) --> ABBA deadlock , which triggers hung task: [ 76.974820] INFO: task kworker/u4:3:63 blocked for more than 15 seconds. [ 76.976019] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4-00011-g8f17dd350364-dirty #910 [ 76.978521] task:kworker/u4:3 state:D stack:0 pid:63 ppid:2 [ 76.978534] Workqueue: dm-thin do_worker [ 76.978552] Call Trace: [ 76.978564] __schedule+0x6ba/0x10f0 [ 76.978582] schedule+0x9d/0x1e0 [ 76.978588] rwsem_down_write_slowpath+0x587/0xdf0 [ 76.978600] down_write+0xec/0x110 [ 76.978607] unregister_shrinker+0x2c/0xf0 [ 76.978616] dm_bufio_client_destroy+0x116/0x3d0 [ 76.978625] dm_block_manager_destroy+0x19/0x40 [ 76.978629] __destroy_persistent_data_objects+0x5e/0x70 [ 76.978636] dm_pool_abort_metadata+0x8e/0x100 [ 76.978643] metadata_operation_failed+0x86/0x110 [ 76.978649] commit+0x6a/0x230 [ 76.978655] do_worker+0xc6e/0xd90 [ 76.978702] process_one_work+0x269/0x630 [ 76.978714] worker_thread+0x266/0x630 [ 76.978730] kthread+0x151/0x1b0 [ 76.978772] INFO: task test.sh:2646 blocked for more than 15 seconds. [ 76.979756] Not tainted 6.1.0-rc4-00011-g8f17dd350364-dirty #910 [ 76.982111] task:test.sh state:D stack:0 pid:2646 ppid:2459 [ 76.982128] Call Trace: [ 76.982139] __schedule+0x6ba/0x10f0 [ 76.982155] schedule+0x9d/0x1e0 [ 76.982159] rwsem_down_read_slowpath+0x4f4/0x910 [ 76.982173] down_read+0x84/0x170 [ 76.982177] dm_thin_find_block+0x4c/0xd0 [ 76.982183] thin_map+0x201/0x3d0 [ 76.982188] __map_bio+0x5b/0x350 [ 76.982195] dm_submit_bio+0x2b6/0x930 [ 76.982202] __submit_bio+0x123/0x2d0 [ 76.982209] submit_bio_noacct_nocheck+0x101/0x3e0 [ 76.982222] submit_bio_noacct+0x389/0x770 [ 76.982227] submit_bio+0x50/0xc0 [ 76.982232] submit_bh_wbc+0x15e/0x230 [ 76.982238] submit_bh+0x14/0x20 [ 76.982241] ext4_read_bh_nowait+0xc5/0x130 [ 76.982247] ext4_read_block_bitmap_nowait+0x340/0xc60 [ 76.982254] ext4_mb_init_cache+0x1ce/0xdc0 [ 76.982259] ext4_mb_load_buddy_gfp+0x987/0xfa0 [ 76.982263] ext4_discard_preallocations+0x45d/0x830 [ 76.982274] ext4_clear_inode+0x48/0xf0 [ 76.982280] ext4_evict_inode+0xcf/0xc70 [ 76.982285] evict+0x119/0x2b0 [ 76.982290] dispose_list+0x43/0xa0 [ 76.982294] prune_icache_sb+0x64/0x90 [ 76.982298] super_cache_scan+0x155/0x210 [ 76.982303] do_shrink_slab+0x19e/0x4e0 [ 76.982310] shrink_slab+0x2bd/0x450 [ 76.982317] drop_slab+0xcc/0x1a0 [ 76.982323] drop_caches_sysctl_handler+0xb7/0xe0 [ 76.982327] proc_sys_call_handler+0x1bc/0x300 [ 76.982331] proc_sys_write+0x17/0x20 [ 76.982334] vfs_write+0x3d3/0x570 [ 76.982342] ksys_write+0x73/0x160 [ 76.982347] __x64_sys_write+0x1e/0x30 [ 76.982352] do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80 [ 76.982357] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd Funct ---truncated---
How severe is CVE-2022-50549?
CVE-2022-50549 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-50549 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (4th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-50549?
CVE-2022-50549 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-50549?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2022-50549 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2022-50549 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-32017.
When was CVE-2022-50549 published?
CVE-2022-50549 was published on 2025-10-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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