ext4: avoid use-after-free in ext4_ext_show_leaf()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: avoid use-after-free in ext4_ext_show_leaf() In ext4_find_extent(), path may be freed by error or be reallocated, so using a previously saved *ppath may have been freed and thus may trigger use-after-free, as follows: ext4_split_extent path = *ppath; ext4_split_extent_at(ppath) path = ext4_find_extent(ppath) ext4_split_extent_at(ppath) // ext4_find_extent fails to free path // but zeroout succeeds ext4_ext_show_leaf(inode, path) eh = path[depth].p_hdr // path use-after-free !!! Similar to ext4_split_extent_at(), we use *ppath directly as an input to ext4_ext_show_leaf(). Fix a spelling error by the way. Same problem in ext4_ext_handle_unwritten_extents(). Since 'path' is only used in ext4_ext_show_leaf(), remove 'path' and use *ppath directly. This issue is triggered only when EXT_DEBUG is defined and therefore does not affect functionality.
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 | 3.18 and later | 5.10.227, 5.15.168, 6.1.113, 6.6.55, 6.10.14, 6.11.3, 6.12 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 3.18 and later Fixed in 5.10.227, 5.15.168, 6.1.113, 6.6.55, 6.10.14, 6.11.3, 6.12 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 5.10.227; 5.11 to before 5.15.168; 5.16 to before 6.1.113; 6.2 to before 6.6.55; 6.7 to before 6.10.14; 6.11 to before 6.11.3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 5.10.227; 5.11 to before 5.15.168; 5.16 to before 6.1.113; 6.2 to before 6.6.55; 6.7 to before 6.10.14; 6.11 to before 6.11.3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.227, 5.15.168, 6.1.113, 6.6.55, 6.10.14, 6.11.3, 6.12
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2025:6966 Released 2025-05-13 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 +12
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-64k-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 +28
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, libperf-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 +21
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-570.12.1.el9_6 +11
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:6966 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:6966 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:6966 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:6966 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:6966 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-49889
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rcg3-vwp6-7grp
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b0cb4561fc4284d04e69c8a66c8504928ab2484e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4999fed877bb64e3e7f9ab9996de2ca983c41928
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2eba3b0cc5b8de624918d21f32b5b8db59a90b39
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/34b2096380ba475771971a778a478661a791aa15
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b114f2cc7dd5d36729d040b68432fbd0f0a8868
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d483c7cc1796bd6a80e7b3a8fd494996260f6b67
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4e2524ba2ca5f54bdbb9e5153bea00421ef653f5
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- 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-2024-49889 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-49889 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rcg3-vwp6-7grp · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-49889 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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