Vulnerability · CVE-2024-49881
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: update orig_path in ext4_find_extent() In ext4_find_extent(), if the path is not big enough,…
Published Oct 21, 2024 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux kernel
Check if you run it
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2024-49881. EPSS is 0.25%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.
Gaps on this record
- No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- Severity
- Medium5.5
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 0.25%
- Remediation
- Advisory link
- Affected products
- cpe linux/linux kernel
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: update orig_path in ext4_find_extent() In ext4_find_extent(), if the path is not big enough, we free it and set *orig_path to NULL. But after reallocating and successfully initializing the path, we don't update *orig_path, in which case the caller gets a valid path but a NULL ppath, and this may cause a NULL pointer dereference or a path memory leak. For example: ext4_split_extent path = *ppath = 2000 ext4_find_extent if (depth > path[0].p_maxdepth) kfree(path = 2000); *orig_path = path = NULL; path = kcalloc() = 3000 ext4_split_extent_at(*ppath = NULL) path = *ppath; ex = path[depth].p_ext; // NULL pointer dereference! ================================================================== BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000010 CPU: 6 UID: 0 PID: 576 Comm: fsstress Not tainted 6.11.0-rc2-dirty #847 RIP: 0010:ext4_split_extent_at+0x6d/0x560 Call Trace: ext4_split_extent.isra.0+0xcb/0x1b0 ext4_ext_convert_to_initialized+0x168/0x6c0 ext4_ext_handle_unwritten_extents+0x325/0x4d0 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0x520/0xdb0 ext4_map_blocks+0x2b0/0x690 ext4_iomap_begin+0x20e/0x2c0 [...] ================================================================== Therefore, *orig_path is updated when the extent lookup succeeds, so that the caller can safely use path or *ppath.
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- cpe linux/linux kernelversion unspecified
How to fix CVE-2024-49881
Recommended remediation
A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2024-49881. EPSS is 0.25%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.
Which versions are affected?
Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference. EPSS 0.25%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Oct 21, 2024 · NIST NVD
Detected
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: update orig_path in ext4_find_extent() In ext4_find_extent(), if the path is not big enough, we free it and set *orig_path to NULL. But after reallocating and successfully initializing the path, we don't update *orig_path, in which case the caller gets a valid path but a NULL ppath, and this may cause a NULL pointer derefere
Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: update orig_path in ext4_find_extent() In ext4_find_extent(), if the path is not big enough, we free it and set *orig_path to NULL. But after reallocating and successfully initializing the path, we don't update *orig_path, in which case the caller gets a valid path but a NULL ppath, and this may cause a NULL pointer derefere
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2024-49881
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2024-49881
30-day exploitation probability 0.3%
first.org - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2024-49881
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: update orig_path in ext4_find_extent() In ext4_find_extent(), if the path is not big enough, we free it and set *orig_path to NULL. But after reallocating and successfully initializing the path, we don't
nvd.nist.gov
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 16, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.