CVE-2021-47119

ext4: fix memory leak in ext4_fill_super

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: March 15, 2024 at 08:14 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:16 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix memory leak in ext4_fill_super Buffer head references must be released before calling kill_bdev(); otherwise the buffer head (and its page referenced by b_data) will not be freed by kill_bdev, and subsequently that bh will be leaked. If blocksizes differ, sb_set_blocksize() will kill current buffers and page cache by using kill_bdev(). And then super block will be reread again but using correct blocksize this time. sb_set_blocksize() didn't fully free superblock page and buffer head, and being busy, they were not freed and instead leaked. This can easily be reproduced by calling an infinite loop of: systemctl start <ext4_on_lvm>.mount, and systemctl stop <ext4_on_lvm>.mount ... since systemd creates a cgroup for each slice which it mounts, and the bh leak get amplified by a dying memory cgroup that also never gets freed, and memory consumption is much more easily noticed.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.6.19 ≤ v < 5.10.432.6.19 ≤ v < 5.12.102.6.19 ≤ v < 5.135.11 ≤ v < 5.12.105.13 rc15.13 rc25.13 rc35.13 rc4ac27a0ec112a089f1a5102bc8dffc79c8c815571
Vendor states this is fixed in 01d349a481f0591230300a9171330136f9159bcd (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 1385b23396d511d5233b8b921ac3058b3f86a5e1 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in afd09b617db3786b6ef3dc43e28fe728cfea84df (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.19 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.43 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.12.10 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.13 (unaffected)

References (3)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01d349a481f0591230300a9171330136f9159bcd
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1385b23396d511d5233b8b921ac3058b3f86a5e1
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/afd09b617db3786b6ef3dc43e28fe728cfea84df

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-401

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