Linux Kernel up to 5.10.87/5.15.10 btrfs __add_inode_ref memory leak

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5.5$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.87/5.15.10. The affected element is the function __add_inode_ref of the component btrfs. Such manipulation leads to memory leak. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2021-47585. There is not any exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.10.87/5.15.10. Affected by this issue is the function __add_inode_ref of the component btrfs. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: fix memory leak in __add_inode_ref() Line 1169 (#3) allocates a memory chunk for victim_name by kmalloc(), but when the function returns in line 1184 (#4) victim_name allocated by line 1169 (#3) is not freed, which will lead to a memory leak. There is a similar snippet of code in this function as allocating a memory chunk for victim_name in line 1104 (#1) as well as releasing the memory in line 1116 (#2). We should kfree() victim_name when the return value of backref_in_log() is less than zero and before the function returns in line 1184 (#4). 1057 static inline int __add_inode_ref(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, 1058 struct btrfs_root *root, 1059 struct btrfs_path *path, 1060 struct btrfs_root *log_root, 1061 struct btrfs_inode *dir, 1062 struct btrfs_inode *inode, 1063 u64 inode_objectid, u64 parent_objectid, 1064 u64 ref_index, char *name, int namelen, 1065 int *search_done) 1066 { 1104 victim_name = kmalloc(victim_name_len, GFP_NOFS); // #1: kmalloc (victim_name-1) 1105 if (!victim_name) 1106 return -ENOMEM; 1112 ret = backref_in_log(log_root, &search_key, 1113 parent_objectid, victim_name, 1114 victim_name_len); 1115 if (ret < 0) { 1116 kfree(victim_name); // #2: kfree (victim_name-1) 1117 return ret; 1118 } else if (!ret) { 1169 victim_name = kmalloc(victim_name_len, GFP_NOFS); // #3: kmalloc (victim_name-2) 1170 if (!victim_name) 1171 return -ENOMEM; 1180 ret = backref_in_log(log_root, &search_key, 1181 parent_objectid, victim_name, 1182 victim_name_len); 1183 if (ret < 0) { 1184 return ret; // #4: missing kfree (victim_name-2) 1185 } else if (!ret) { 1241 return 0; 1242 }

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2021-47585 since 05/24/2024. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 5.10.88 or 5.15.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 005d9292b5b2/493ff661d434/f35838a69302 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-1418). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • IBM InfoSphere Guardium
  • Oracle Linux
  • Oracle VM
  • IBM Security Guardium
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Broadcom Brocade SANnav
  • Dell NetWorker
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • Dell Avamar
  • IBM Storage Scale
  • Juniper Junos Space
  • SolarWinds Security Event Manager
  • Dell PowerProtect Data Domain

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.6
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory leak
CWE: CWE-401 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.88/5.15.11
Patch: 005d9292b5b2/493ff661d434/f35838a69302

Timelineinfo

05/24/2024 🔍
06/19/2024 +26 days 🔍
06/19/2024 +0 days 🔍
10/04/2025 +472 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2021-47585 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2021-47585
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-269066
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2024-1418 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen erm&ouml;glichen nicht spezifizierten Angriff

Entryinfo

Created: 06/19/2024 17:51
Updated: 10/04/2025 05:02
Changes: 06/19/2024 17:51 (58), 08/20/2024 05:13 (12), 10/04/2025 05:02 (7)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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