CVE-2024-49983: linux kernel Double Free — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: drop ppath from ext4_ext_replay_update_ex() to avoid double-free When calling ext4_force_split_extent_at() in ext4_ext_replay_update_ex(), the 'ppath' is updated but it is the 'path' that is freed, thus potentially triggering a double-free in the following process: ext4_ext_replay_update_ex ppath = path ext4_force_split_extent_at(&ppath) ext4_split_extent_at ext4_ext_insert_extent ext4_ext_create_new_leaf ext4_ext_grow_indepth ext4_find_extent if (depth > path[0].p_maxdepth) kfree(path) ---> path First freed *orig_path = path = NULL ---> null ppath kfree(path) ---> path double-free !!! So drop the unnecessary ppath and use path directly to avoid this problem. And use ext4_find_extent() directly to update path, avoiding unnecessary memory allocation and freeing. Also, propagate the error returned by ext4_find_extent() instead of using strange error codes.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-415 CWE-415

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	5.10 — 5.10.227
linux	linux_kernel	5.11 — 5.15.168
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 6.1.113
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.55
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.10.14
linux	linux_kernel	6.11 — 6.11.3

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b558006d98b7b0b730027be0ee98973dd10ee0d https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3ff710662e8d86a63a39b334e9ca0cb10e5c14b0 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0f4cc84d3a601c99bc5e6e6eb1cbda542cce95 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6367d3f04c69e2b8770b8137bd800e0784b0abbc https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/63adc9016917e6970fb0104ee5fd6770f02b2d80 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c26d9e53e5fbacda0732a577e97c5a5b7882aaf https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a34bed978364114390162c27e50fca50791c568d

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00002.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-49983? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: drop ppath from ext4_ext_replay_update_ex() to avoid double-free When calling ext4_force_split_extent_at() in ext4_ext_replay_update_ex(), the 'ppath' is updated but it is the 'path' that is freed, thus potentially triggering a double-free in the following process: ext4_ext_replay_update_ex ppath = path ext4_force_split_extent_at(&ppath) ext4_split_extent_at ext4_ext_insert_extent ext4_ext_create_new_leaf ext4_ext_grow_indepth ext4_find_extent if (depth > path[0].p_maxdepth) kfree(path) ---> path First freed *orig_path = path = NULL ---> null ppath kfree(path) ---> path double-free !!! So drop the unnecessary ppath and use path directly to avoid this problem. And use ext4_find_extent() directly to update path, avoiding unnecessary memory allocation and freeing. Also, propagate the error returned by ext4_find_extent() instead of using strange error codes. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2024-49983? +

CVE-2024-49983 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-49983? +

CVE-2024-49983 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2024-49983? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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