Kernel crash via invalid Btrfs relocation backref
Published Sep 18, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Kernel panic in Btrfs in Linux 2.6.31 through 6.10.9 allows local users to crash the system through an inconsistent relocation-tree backref. The update_ref_for_cow function calls BUG_ON when a relocation-tree extent buffer lacks the full-backref flag, converting an unexpected metadata invariant into a fatal kernel assertion. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and the specific Btrfs relocation state; the documented consequence is availability loss only.
Summary
What happened
Kernel panic in Btrfs in Linux 2.6.31 through 6.10.9 allows local users to crash the system through an inconsistent relocation-tree backref. The update_ref_for_cow function calls BUG_ON when a relocation-tree extent buffer lacks the full-backref flag, converting an unexpected metadata invariant into a fatal kernel assertion. Reachability requires local low-privilege access and the specific Btrfs relocation state; the documented consequence is availability loss only.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-46752
- Published
- Sep 18, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 18, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.31
- Affected versionversion=5d4f98a28c7d334091c1b7744f48a1acdd2a4ae0 <0fbac73a97286a7ec72229cb9b42d760a2c717ac
- Affected versionversion=5d4f98a28c7d334091c1b7744f48a1acdd2a4ae0 <41a0f85e268d72fe04f731b8ceea4748c2d65491
- Affected versionversion=5d4f98a28c7d334091c1b7744f48a1acdd2a4ae0 <b50857b96429a09fd3beed9f7f21b7bb7c433688
- Affected versionversion=5d4f98a28c7d334091c1b7744f48a1acdd2a4ae0 <b56329a782314fde5b61058e2a25097af7ccb675
- Affected versionversion=5d4f98a28c7d334091c1b7744f48a1acdd2a4ae0 <f895db00c65e5d77c437cce946da9ec29dcdf563
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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