Local system crash via btrfs zero-reference assertions
Published Sep 27, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Denial of service in the Linux kernel btrfs subsystem allows local users to crash the system during snapshot deletion. The reada path calls BUG_ON when an unlocked extent-leaf lookup transiently reports zero references; walk_down_proc and walk_up_proc also assert on zero references instead of returning an error. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and the ability to delete a btrfs snapshot; a triggered assertion terminates the kernel without reported data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in the Linux kernel btrfs subsystem allows local users to crash the system during snapshot deletion. The reada path calls BUG_ON when an unlocked extent-leaf lookup transiently reports zero references; walk_down_proc and walk_up_proc also assert on zero references instead of returning an error. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and the ability to delete a btrfs snapshot; a triggered assertion terminates the kernel without reported data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-46840
- Published
- Sep 27, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 27, 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=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <03804641ec2d0da4fa088ad21c88e703d151ce16
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <71291aa7246645ef622621934d2067400380645e
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <728d4d045b628e006b48a448f3326a7194c88d32
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <7d1df13bf078ffebfedd361d714ff6cee1ff01b9
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <9cc887ac24b7a0598f4042ae9af6b9a33072f75b
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <b8ccef048354074a548f108e51d0557d6adfd3a3
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <c60676b81fab456b672796830f6d8057058f029c
- Affected versionversion=2c47e605a91dde6b0514f689645e7ab336c8592a <c847b28a799733b04574060ab9d00f215970627d
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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