CVE-2024-49889: Linux kernel · ext4: avoid use-after-free in ext4_ext_show_leaf()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 5.15.0-1073.79~20.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 23:28 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1073.79~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1078.87~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1072.80~20.04.1 +58
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 21 Oct 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7186-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7186-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7194-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7276-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7277-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7301-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7303-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7304-1 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-nvidiapkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: avoid use-after-free in ext4_ext_show_leaf() In ext4_find_extent(), path may be freed by error or be reallocated, so using a previously saved *ppath may have been freed and thus may trigger use-after-free, as follows: ext4_split_extent path = *ppath; ext4_split_extent_at(ppath) path = ext4_find_extent(ppath) ext4_split_extent_at(ppath) // ext4_find_extent fails to free path // but zeroout succeeds ext4_ext_show_leaf(inode, path) eh = path[depth].p_hdr // path use-after-free !!! Similar to ext4_split_extent_at(), we use *ppath directly as an input to ext4_ext_show_leaf(). Fix a spelling error by the way. Same problem in ext4_ext_handle_unwritten_extents(). Since 'path' is only used in ext4_ext_show_leaf(), remove 'path' and use *ppath directly. This issue is triggered only when EXT_DEBUG is defined and therefore does not affect functionality.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-49889 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-49889 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/4e2524ba2ca5f54bdbb9e5153bea00421ef653f5 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b0cb4561fc4284d04e69c8a66c8504928ab2484e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4999fed877bb64e3e7f9ab9996de2ca983c41928 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2eba3b0cc5b8de624918d21f32b5b8db59a90b39 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/34b2096380ba475771971a778a478661a791aa15 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b114f2cc7dd5d36729d040b68432fbd0f0a8868 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d483c7cc1796bd6a80e7b3a8fd494996260f6b67 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4e2524ba2ca5f54bdbb9e5153bea00421ef653f5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7186-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7186-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7194-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7166-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7276-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7277-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7301-1 (opens in a new tab)