Kernel memory corruption via rearmed ext4 timer
Published Oct 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the ext4 mount cleanup path in affected Linux kernel versions allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory via a crafted image. During a failed mount, ext4_stop_mmpd triggers ext4_handle_error after the error-report timer was canceled, rearming a timer embedded in ext4_sb_info before that object is freed. Triggering the path requires mounting an attacker-controlled ext4 image with a corrupt MMP block; the stale timer can disclose or corrupt kernel memory and cause a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the ext4 mount cleanup path in affected Linux kernel versions allows attackers to corrupt kernel memory via a crafted image. During a failed mount, ext4_stop_mmpd triggers ext4_handle_error after the error-report timer was canceled, rearming a timer embedded in ext4_sb_info before that object is freed. Triggering the path requires mounting an attacker-controlled ext4 image with a corrupt MMP block; the stale timer can disclose or corrupt kernel memory and cause a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-49960
- Published
- Oct 21, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.10.51 <5.10.237
- Affected versionversion=5.12.18 <5.13
- Affected versionversion=5.13.3 <5.14
- Affected versionversion=5.14
- Affected versionversion=5e4f5138bd8522ebe231a137682d3857209a2c07 <7aac0c17a8cdf4a3236991c1e60435c6a984076c
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <0ce160c5bdb67081a62293028dc85758a8efb22a
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <22e9b83f0f33bc5a7a3181769d1dccbf021f5b04
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <9203817ba46ebba7c865c8de2aba399537b6e891
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <b85569585d0154d4db1e4f9e3e6a4731d407feb0
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <cf3196e5e2f36cd80dab91ffae402e13935724bc
- Affected versionversion=618f003199c6188e01472b03cdbba227f1dc5f24 <fa78fb51d396f4f2f80f8e96a3b1516f394258be
- Affected versionversion=cecfdb9cf9a700d1037066173abac0617f6788df
- Affected versionversion=eb7b40d9d3785f7a131fb0b1f89bb6efa46c1833
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo