btrfs: fix memory ordering between normal and ordered work functions
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: fix memory ordering between normal and ordered work functions Ordered work functions aren't guaranteed to be handled by the same thread which executed the normal work functions. The only way execution between normal/ordered functions is synchronized is via the WORK_DONE_BIT, unfortunately the used bitops don't guarantee any ordering whatsoever. This manifested as seemingly inexplicable crashes on ARM64, where async_chunk::inode is seen as non-null in async_cow_submit which causes submit_compressed_extents to be called and crash occurs because async_chunk::inode suddenly became NULL. The call trace was similar to: pc : submit_compressed_extents+0x38/0x3d0 lr : async_cow_submit+0x50/0xd0 sp : ffff800015d4bc20 <registers omitted for brevity> Call trace: submit_compressed_extents+0x38/0x3d0 async_cow_submit+0x50/0xd0 run_ordered_work+0xc8/0x280 btrfs_work_helper+0x98/0x250 process_one_work+0x1f0/0x4ac worker_thread+0x188/0x504 kthread+0x110/0x114 ret_from_fork+0x10/0x18 Fix this by adding respective barrier calls which ensure that all accesses preceding setting of WORK_DONE_BIT are strictly ordered before setting the flag. At the same time add a read barrier after reading of WORK_DONE_BIT in run_ordered_work which ensures all subsequent loads would be strictly ordered after reading the bit. This in turn ensures are all accesses before WORK_DONE_BIT are going to be strictly ordered before any access that can occur in ordered_func.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 3.15 and later | 4.4.293, 4.9.291, 4.14.256, 4.19.218, 5.4.162, 5.10.82, 5.15.5, 5.16 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 3.15 and later Fixed in 4.4.293, 4.9.291, 4.14.256, 4.19.218, 5.4.162, 5.10.82, 5.15.5, 5.16 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.15 to before 4.4.293; 4.5 to before 4.9.291; 4.10 to before 4.14.256; 4.15 to before 4.19.218; 4.20 to before 5.4.162; 5.5 to before 5.10.82; 5.11 to before 5.15.5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.16 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.15 to before 4.4.293; 4.5 to before 4.9.291; 4.10 to before 4.14.256; 4.15 to before 4.19.218; 4.20 to before 5.4.162; 5.5 to before 5.10.82; 5.11 to before 5.15.5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.16 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.4.293, 4.9.291, 4.14.256, 4.19.218, 5.4.162, 5.10.82, 5.15.5, 5.16
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47189
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-3wrv-h289-483m
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd660a20fea3ec60a49709ef5360f145ec0fe779
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/637d652d351fd4f263ef302dc52f3971d314e500
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/804a9d239ae9cbe88e861a7cd62319cc6ec7b136
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed058d735a70f4b063323f1a7bb33cda0f987513
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/670f6b3867c8f0f11e5097f353b164cecfec6179
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6adbc07ebcaf8bead08b21687d49e0fc94400987
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/47e6f9f69153247109042010f3a77579e9dc61ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45da9c1767ac31857df572f0a909fbe88fd5a7e9
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Sources
- CVE-2021-47189 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-47189 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-3wrv-h289-483m · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-47189 · 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