CVERadar
HIGH · CVSS 3.1 7.8Public PoCEPSS 0.32% (p24)Threat level 43

CVE-2024-49882: CVE-2024-49882: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix double brel…

debian · debian linux · NVD published 2024-10-21 · posted 2025-12-01 · last modified 2026-08-04

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix double brelse() the buffer of the extents path In ext4_ext_try_to_merge_up(), set path[1].p_bh to NULL after it has been released, otherwise it may be released twice. An example of what triggers this is as follows: split2 map split1 |--------|-------|--------| ext4_ext_map_blocks ext4_ext_handle_unwritten_extents ext4_split_convert_extents // path->p_depth == 0 ext4_split_extent // 1. do split1 ext4_split_extent_at |ext4_ext_insert_extent | ext4_ext_create_new_leaf | ext4_ext_grow_indepth | le16_add_cpu(&neh->eh_depth, 1) | ext4_find_extent | // return -ENOMEM |// get error and try zeroout |path = ext4_find_extent | path->p_depth = 1 |ext4_ext_try_to_merge | ext4_ext_try_to_merge_up | path->p_depth = 0 | brelse(path[1].p_bh) ---> not set to NULL here |// zeroout success // 2. update path ext4_find_extent // 3. do split2 ext4_split_extent_at ext4_ext_insert_extent ext4_ext_create_new_leaf ext4_ext_grow_indepth le16_add_cpu(&neh->eh_depth, 1) ext4_find_extent path[0].p_bh = NULL; path->p_depth = 1 read_extent_tree_block ---> return err // path[1].p_bh is still the old value ext4_free_ext_path ext4_ext_drop_refs // path->p_depth == 1 brelse(path[1].p_bh) ---> brelse a buffer twice Finally got the following WARRNING when removing the buffer from lru: ============================================ VFS: brelse: Trying to free free buffer WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 72 at fs/buffer.c:1241 __brelse+0x58/0x90 CPU: 2 PID: 72 Comm: kworker/u19:1 Not tainted 6.9.0-dirty #716 RIP: 0010:__brelse+0x58/0x90 Call Trace: <TASK> __find_get_block+0x6e7/0x810 bdev_getblk+0x2b/0x480 __ext4_get_inode_loc+0x48a/0x1240 ext4_get_inode_loc+0xb2/0x150 ext4_reserve_inode_write+0xb7/0x230 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty+0x144/0x6a0 ext4_ext_insert_extent+0x9c8/0x3230 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0xf45/0x2dc0 ext4_map_blocks+0x724/0x1700 ext4_do_writepages+0x12d6/0x2a70 [...] ============================================

WeaknessCWE-415
CVSS vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (source: [email protected])
ATT&CK tacticsn/a

Exploitation evidence

First exploit evidence seen: 2025-12-01 (earliest date across the sources below).

Exploited in the wild

No source on this site lists in-the-wild exploitation yet (CISA KEV, VulnCheck KEV).

Public exploit code

GitHub proof-of-concept repositories

1 public repositories from 1 accounts, first seen 2025-12-01. Most starred: SpiralBL0CK/CVE-2023-1206-CVE-2025-40040-CVE-2024-49882 (12 stars), view repository.

Verify before running: public PoCs can be malicious. Read the code and only run it in an isolated lab. A PoC means exploit code is public, not that this CVE is exploited in the wild.

Sources: nomi-sec/PoC-in-GitHub.

How to fix it

Fixed versions

  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 4.19.323 or later (affected from 3.7)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 5.4.285 or later (affected from 4.20)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 5.10.227 or later (affected from 5.5)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 5.15.168 or later (affected from 5.11)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 6.1.113 or later (affected from 5.16)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 6.6.55 or later (affected from 6.2)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 6.10.14 or later (affected from 6.7)
  • linux linux kernel: upgrade to 6.11.3 or later (affected from 6.11)

Derived from the NVD CPE configuration (versionEndExcluding / versionEndIncluding). Always confirm with the vendor advisory.

Vendor advisories and patches

Detection Generic guidance

    Response checklist Generic guidance

    1. Inventory: find every instance of the affected product and version (include internet-facing and forgotten ones).
    2. Patch or mitigate per the vendor advisory; if you cannot patch, remove internet exposure or apply the vendor workaround.
    3. Assume compromise if the system was exposed before patching: hunt for the indicators in the advisory and review logs back to the disclosure date.
    4. Rotate credentials and secrets stored on or used by the affected system if compromise cannot be ruled out.

    Sources