CVE-2024-50273

btrfs: reinitialize delayed ref list after deleting it from the list

Published Nov 19, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

btrfs: reinitialize delayed ref list after deleting it from the list

At insert_delayed_ref() if we need to update the action of an existing
ref to BTRFS_DROP_DELAYED_REF, we delete the ref from its ref head's
ref_add_list using list_del(), which leaves the ref's add_list member
not reinitialized, as list_del() sets the next and prev members of the
list to LIST_POISON1 and LIST_POISON2, respectively.

If later we end up calling drop_delayed_ref() against the ref, which can
happen during merging or when destroying delayed refs due to a transaction
abort, we can trigger a crash since at drop_delayed_ref() we call
list_empty() against the ref's add_list, which returns false since
the list was not reinitialized after the list_del() and as a consequence
we call list_del() again at drop_delayed_ref(). This results in an
invalid list access since the next and prev members are set to poison
pointers, resulting in a splat if CONFIG_LIST_HARDENED and
CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST are set or invalid poison pointer dereferences
otherwise.

So fix this by deleting from the list with list_del_init() instead.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4008-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4075-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5818-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7276-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7277-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7288-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7288-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7289-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7289-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7289-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7289-4 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7291-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7293-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7294-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7294-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7294-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7294-4 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7295-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7305-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7308-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7310-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7331-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7388-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7389-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7390-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx ZynqMP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7393-1 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7401-1 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7413-1 Linux kernel (IoT) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7449-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7449-2 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7450-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7451-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7452-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7453-1 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7458-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7468-1 Linux kernel (Azure, N-Series) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7523-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7524-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7539-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7540-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses CWE-908
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: reinitialize delayed ref list after deleting it from the list At insert_delayed_ref() if we need to update the action of an existing ref to BTRFS_DROP_DELAYED_REF, we delete the ref from its ref head's ref_add_list using list_del(), which leaves the ref's add_list member not reinitialized, as list_del() sets the next and prev members of the list to LIST_POISON1 and LIST_POISON2, respectively. If later we end up calling drop_delayed_ref() against the ref, which can happen during merging or when destroying delayed refs due to a transaction abort, we can trigger a crash since at drop_delayed_ref() we call list_empty() against the ref's add_list, which returns false since the list was not reinitialized after the list_del() and as a consequence we call list_del() again at drop_delayed_ref(). This results in an invalid list access since the next and prev members are set to poison pointers, resulting in a splat if CONFIG_LIST_HARDENED and CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST are set or invalid poison pointer dereferences otherwise. So fix this by deleting from the list with list_del_init() instead.
Title btrfs: reinitialize delayed ref list after deleting it from the list
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Aug 5, 2026, 11:42 AM
Reserved
Oct 21, 2024, 7:36 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Nov 19, 2024, 2:16 AM
Modified
Aug 4, 2026, 11:21 AM
Severity
Low
Public date
Nov 19, 2024, 12:00 AM