CVE-2021-47508

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: free exchange changeset on failures Fstests runs on my VMs have show several kmemleak reports like the following. unreferenced object 0xffff88811ae59080 (size 64): comm "xfs_io", pid 12124, jiffies 4294987392 (age 6.368s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 c0 1c 00 00 00 00 00 ff cf 1c 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 90 97 e5 1a 81 88 ff ff 90 97 e5 1a 81 88 ff ff ................ backtrace: [<00000000ac0176d2>] ulist_add_merge+0x60/0x150 [btrfs] [<0000000076e9f312>] set_state_bits+0x86/0xc0 [btrfs] [<0000000014fe73d6>] set_extent_bit+0x270/0x690 [btrfs] [<000000004f675208>] set_record_extent_bits+0x19/0x20 [btrfs] [<00000000b96137b1>] qgroup_reserve_data+0x274/0x310 [btrfs] [<0000000057e9dcbb>] btrfs_check_data_free_space+0x5c/0xa0 [btrfs] [<0000000019c4511d>] btrfs_delalloc_reserve_space+0x1b/0xa0 [btrfs] [<000000006d37e007>] btrfs_dio_iomap_begin+0x415/0x970 [btrfs] [<00000000fb8a74b8>] iomap_iter+0x161/0x1e0 [<0000000071dff6ff>] __iomap_dio_rw+0x1df/0x700 [<000000002567ba53>] iomap_dio_rw+0x5/0x20 [<0000000072e555f8>] btrfs_file_write_iter+0x290/0x530 [btrfs] [<000000005eb3d845>] new_sync_write+0x106/0x180 [<000000003fb505bf>] vfs_write+0x24d/0x2f0 [<000000009bb57d37>] __x64_sys_pwrite64+0x69/0xa0 [<000000003eba3fdf>] do_syscall_64+0x43/0x90 In case brtfs_qgroup_reserve_data() or btrfs_delalloc_reserve_metadata() fail the allocated extent_changeset will not be freed. So in btrfs_check_data_free_space() and btrfs_delalloc_reserve_space() free the allocated extent_changeset to get rid of the allocated memory. The issue currently only happens in the direct IO write path, but only after 65b3c08606e5 ("btrfs: fix ENOSPC failure when attempting direct IO write into NOCOW range"), and also at defrag_one_locked_target(). Every other place is always calling extent_changeset_free() even if its call to btrfs_delalloc_reserve_space() or btrfs_check_data_free_space() has failed.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2024-05-24 15:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 04:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2024-05-24 15:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 04:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-401

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.15.8
• Linux Kernel 5.16

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.5

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2021-47508.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2021-47508. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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