Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3 btrfs_ref_tree_mod use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3. The affected element is the function btrfs_ref_tree_mod. Executing a manipulation can lead to use after free. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2024-56581. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.3. This vulnerability affects the function btrfs_ref_tree_mod. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: ref-verify: fix use-after-free after invalid ref action At btrfs_ref_tree_mod() after we successfully inserted the new ref entry (local variable 'ref') into the respective block entry's rbtree (local variable 'be'), if we find an unexpected action of BTRFS_DROP_DELAYED_REF, we error out and free the ref entry without removing it from the block entry's rbtree. Then in the error path of btrfs_ref_tree_mod() we call btrfs_free_ref_cache(), which iterates over all block entries and then calls free_block_entry() for each one, and there we will trigger a use-after-free when we are called against the block entry to which we added the freed ref entry to its rbtree, since the rbtree still points to the block entry, as we didn't remove it from the rbtree before freeing it in the error path at btrfs_ref_tree_mod(). Fix this by removing the new ref entry from the rbtree before freeing it. Syzbot report this with the following stack traces: BTRFS error (device loop0 state EA): Ref action 2, root 5, ref_root 0, parent 8564736, owner 0, offset 0, num_refs 18446744073709551615 __btrfs_mod_ref+0x7dd/0xac0 fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c:2523 update_ref_for_cow+0x9cd/0x11f0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:512 btrfs_force_cow_block+0x9f6/0x1da0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:594 btrfs_cow_block+0x35e/0xa40 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:754 btrfs_search_slot+0xbdd/0x30d0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:2116 btrfs_insert_empty_items+0x9c/0x1a0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:4314 btrfs_insert_empty_item fs/btrfs/ctree.h:669 [inline] btrfs_insert_orphan_item+0x1f1/0x320 fs/btrfs/orphan.c:23 btrfs_orphan_add+0x6d/0x1a0 fs/btrfs/inode.c:3482 btrfs_unlink+0x267/0x350 fs/btrfs/inode.c:4293 vfs_unlink+0x365/0x650 fs/namei.c:4469 do_unlinkat+0x4ae/0x830 fs/namei.c:4533 __do_sys_unlinkat fs/namei.c:4576 [inline] __se_sys_unlinkat fs/namei.c:4569 [inline] __x64_sys_unlinkat+0xcc/0xf0 fs/namei.c:4569 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f BTRFS error (device loop0 state EA): Ref action 1, root 5, ref_root 5, parent 0, owner 260, offset 0, num_refs 1 __btrfs_mod_ref+0x76b/0xac0 fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c:2521 update_ref_for_cow+0x96a/0x11f0 btrfs_force_cow_block+0x9f6/0x1da0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:594 btrfs_cow_block+0x35e/0xa40 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:754 btrfs_search_slot+0xbdd/0x30d0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:2116 btrfs_lookup_inode+0xdc/0x480 fs/btrfs/inode-item.c:411 __btrfs_update_delayed_inode+0x1e7/0xb90 fs/btrfs/delayed-inode.c:1030 btrfs_update_delayed_inode fs/btrfs/delayed-inode.c:1114 [inline] __btrfs_commit_inode_delayed_items+0x2318/0x24a0 fs/btrfs/delayed-inode.c:1137 __btrfs_run_delayed_items+0x213/0x490 fs/btrfs/delayed-inode.c:1171 btrfs_commit_transaction+0x8a8/0x3740 fs/btrfs/transaction.c:2313 prepare_to_relocate+0x3c4/0x4c0 fs/btrfs/relocation.c:3586 relocate_block_group+0x16c/0xd40 fs/btrfs/relocation.c:3611 btrfs_relocate_block_group+0x77d/0xd90 fs/btrfs/relocation.c:4081 btrfs_relocate_chunk+0x12c/0x3b0 fs/btrfs/volumes.c:3377 __btrfs_balance+0x1b0f/0x26b0 fs/btrfs/volumes.c:4161 btrfs_balance+0xbdc/0x10c0 fs/btrfs/volumes.c:4538 BTRFS error (device loop0 state EA): Ref action 2, root 5, ref_root 0, parent 8564736, owner 0, offset 0, num_refs 18446744073709551615 __btrfs_mod_ref+0x7dd/0xac0 fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c:2523 update_ref_for_cow+0x9cd/0x11f0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:512 btrfs_force_cow_block+0x9f6/0x1da0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:594 btrfs_cow_block+0x35e/0xa40 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:754 btrfs_search_slot+0xbdd/0x30d0 fs/btrfs/ctree.c:2116 btrfs_lookup_inode+0xdc/0x480 fs/btrfs/inode-item.c:411 __btrfs_update_delayed_inode+0x1e7/0xb90 fs/btrfs/delayed-inode.c:1030 btrfs_update_delayed_i ---truncated---

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2024-56581 since 12/27/2024. The exploitation appears to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 12/23/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 216224 (Oracle Linux 7 / 8 : Unbreakable Enterprise kernel (ELSA-2025-20100)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.4.287, 5.10.231, 5.15.174, 6.1.120, 6.6.64 or 6.12.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch dfb9fe7de61f34cc241ab3900bdde93341096e0e/6fd018aa168e472ce35be32296d109db6adb87ea/d2b85ce0561fde894e28fa01bd5d32820d585006/6370db28af9a8ae3bbdfe97f8a48f8f995e144cf/4275ac2741941c9c7c2293619fdbacb9f70ba85b/a6f9e7a0bf1185c9070c0de03bb85eafb9abd650/7c4e39f9d2af4abaf82ca0e315d1fd340456620f 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 databases at Tenable (216224) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2024-3762). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Avamar
• Red Hat OpenShift
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM DataPower Gateway
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.4.286
• 5.10.230
• 5.15.173
• 6.1.119
• 6.6.0
• 6.6.1
• 6.6.2
• 6.6.3
• 6.6.4
• 6.6.5
• 6.6.6
• 6.6.7
• 6.6.8
• 6.6.9
• 6.6.10
• 6.6.11
• 6.6.12
• 6.6.13
• 6.6.14
• 6.6.15
• 6.6.16
• 6.6.17
• 6.6.18
• 6.6.19
• 6.6.20
• 6.6.21
• 6.6.22
• 6.6.23
• 6.6.24
• 6.6.25
• 6.6.26
• 6.6.27
• 6.6.28
• 6.6.29
• 6.6.30
• 6.6.31
• 6.6.32
• 6.6.33
• 6.6.34
• 6.6.35
• 6.6.36
• 6.6.37
• 6.6.38
• 6.6.39
• 6.6.40
• 6.6.41
• 6.6.42
• 6.6.43
• 6.6.44
• 6.6.45
• 6.6.46
• 6.6.47
• 6.6.48
• 6.6.49
• 6.6.50
• 6.6.51
• 6.6.52
• 6.6.53
• 6.6.54
• 6.6.55
• 6.6.56
• 6.6.57
• 6.6.58
• 6.6.59
• 6.6.60
• 6.6.61
• 6.6.62
• 6.6.63
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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