CVE-2024-57924

fs: relax assertions on failure to encode file handles

Published Jan 19, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

fs: relax assertions on failure to encode file handles

Encoding file handles is usually performed by a filesystem >encode_fh()
method that may fail for various reasons.

The legacy users of exportfs_encode_fh(), namely, nfsd and
name_to_handle_at(2) syscall are ready to cope with the possibility
of failure to encode a file handle.

There are a few other users of exportfs_encode_{fh,fid}() that
currently have a WARN_ON() assertion when ->encode_fh() fails.
Relax those assertions because they are wrong.

The second linked bug report states commit 16aac5ad1fa9 ("ovl: support
encoding non-decodable file handles") in v6.6 as the regressing commit,
but this is not accurate.

The aforementioned commit only increases the chances of the assertion
and allows triggering the assertion with the reproducer using overlayfs,
inotify and drop_caches.

Triggering this assertion was always possible with other filesystems and
other reasons of ->encode_fh() failures and more particularly, it was
also possible with the exact same reproducer using overlayfs that is
mounted with options index=on,nfs_export=on also on kernels < v6.6.
Therefore, I am not listing the aforementioned commit as a Fixes commit.

Backport hint: this patch will have a trivial conflict applying to
v6.6.y, and other trivial conflicts applying to stable kernels < v6.6.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4328-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6009-1 linux security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2024-53827 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: relax assertions on failure to encode file handles Encoding file handles is usually performed by a filesystem >encode_fh() method that may fail for various reasons. The legacy users of exportfs_encode_fh(), namely, nfsd and name_to_handle_at(2) syscall are ready to cope with the possibility of failure to encode a file handle. There are a few other users of exportfs_encode_{fh,fid}() that currently have a WARN_ON() assertion when ->encode_fh() fails. Relax those assertions because they are wrong. The second linked bug report states commit 16aac5ad1fa9 ("ovl: support encoding non-decodable file handles") in v6.6 as the regressing commit, but this is not accurate. The aforementioned commit only increases the chances of the assertion and allows triggering the assertion with the reproducer using overlayfs, inotify and drop_caches. Triggering this assertion was always possible with other filesystems and other reasons of ->encode_fh() failures and more particularly, it was also possible with the exact same reproducer using overlayfs that is mounted with options index=on,nfs_export=on also on kernels < v6.6. Therefore, I am not listing the aforementioned commit as a Fixes commit. Backport hint: this patch will have a trivial conflict applying to v6.6.y, and other trivial conflicts applying to stable kernels < v6.6.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7379-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7379-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7380-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7381-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7382-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7595-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7595-2 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7595-3 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7595-4 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7595-5 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7596-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7596-2 Linux kernel (Azure, N-Series) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7653-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.0004}

epss

{'score': 0.00031}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-617
Metrics threat_severity

Low

threat_severity

Moderate

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: fs: relax assertions on failure to encode file handles Encoding file handles is usually performed by a filesystem >encode_fh() method that may fail for various reasons. The legacy users of exportfs_encode_fh(), namely, nfsd and name_to_handle_at(2) syscall are ready to cope with the possibility of failure to encode a file handle. There are a few other users of exportfs_encode_{fh,fid}() that currently have a WARN_ON() assertion when ->encode_fh() fails. Relax those assertions because they are wrong. The second linked bug report states commit 16aac5ad1fa9 ("ovl: support encoding non-decodable file handles") in v6.6 as the regressing commit, but this is not accurate. The aforementioned commit only increases the chances of the assertion and allows triggering the assertion with the reproducer using overlayfs, inotify and drop_caches. Triggering this assertion was always possible with other filesystems and other reasons of ->encode_fh() failures and more particularly, it was also possible with the exact same reproducer using overlayfs that is mounted with options index=on,nfs_export=on also on kernels < v6.6. Therefore, I am not listing the aforementioned commit as a Fixes commit. Backport hint: this patch will have a trivial conflict applying to v6.6.y, and other trivial conflicts applying to stable kernels < v6.6.
Title fs: relax assertions on failure to encode file handles
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 12:33 PM
Reserved
Jan 19, 2025, 11:50 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Jan 19, 2025, 12:15 PM
Modified
Nov 10, 2026, 1:17 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Jan 19, 2025, 12:00 AM