fs/ext4/extents.c in the Linux kernel before 3.0 does not mark a modified extent as dirty…
Priority LOW 19Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Complete
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 12 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
fs/ext4/extents.c in the Linux kernel before 3.0 does not mark a modified extent as dirty in certain cases of extent splitting, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via vectors involving ext4 umount and mount operations.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00359 29th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 4 advisoriesRed Hat: 12 fixed, 1 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
Red Hat 4 advisories
- RHSA-2012:0517 Released 2012-04-24 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux EUS (v. 5.6 server) kernel-2.6.18-238.37.1.el5, kernel-2.6.18-238.37.1.el5.ia64, kernel-PAE-2.6.18-238.37.1.el5 +18
- RHSA-2012:0116 Released 2012-02-15 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 6.1) kernel-2.6.32-131.25.1.el6, kernel-bootwrapper-2.6.32-131.25.1.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-131.25.1.el6 +8
- RHSA-2012:0107 Released 2012-02-09 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security and bug fix update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) kernel-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5, kernel-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5.ia64, kernel-PAE-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5 +18
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) kernel-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5, kernel-PAE-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5, kernel-PAE-devel-2.6.18-274.18.1.el5 +8
Show 1 more Red Hat advisories
- RHSA-2011:1530 Released 2011-12-05 · Red Hat rating ModerateRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6 kernel security, bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-devel-2.6.32-220.el6 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, python-perf-2.6.32-220.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-devel-2.6.32-220.el6 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, python-perf-2.6.32-220.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-bootwrapper-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-220.el6 +8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, python-perf-2.6.32-220.el6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-2.6.32-220.el6, kernel-debug-devel-2.6.32-220.el6 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) kernel-2.6.32-220.el6, python-perf-2.6.32-220.el6
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) | Fixed | RHSA-2012:0107 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2012:0107 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux EUS (v. 5.6 server) | Fixed | RHSA-2012:0517 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 6.1) | Fixed | RHSA-2012:0116 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1530 |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2011-3638
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-fq63-9c29-w9fw
References
Advisory 2
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2011-3638 · CVE Program
- CVE-2011-3638 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-fq63-9c29-w9fw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2011-3638 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences