# CVE-2024-37078: nilfs2: fix potential kernel bug due to lack of writeback flag waiting

> A race condition in the nilfs2 filesystem can cause a kernel bug and system crash when destructive writes occur on the mounted block device.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-37078, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-37078, GHSA-gw4q-m5c4-p6fm, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-37078

## What is CVE-2024-37078?

CVE-2024-37078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jun 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nilfs2: fix potential kernel bug due to lack of writeback flag waiting

Destructive writes to a block device on which nilfs2 is mounted can cause
a kernel bug in the folio/page writeback start routine or writeback end
routine (__folio_start_writeback in the log below):

 kernel BUG at mm/page-writeback.c:3070!
 Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP KASAN PTI
 ...
 RIP: 0010:__folio_start_writeback+0xbaa/0x10e0
 Code: 25 ff 0f 00 00 0f 84 18 01 00 00 e8 40 ca c6 ff e9 17 f6 ff ff
  e8 36 ca c6 ff 4c 89 f7 48 c7 c6 80 c0 12 84 e8 e7 b3 0f 00 90 <0f>
  0b e8 1f ca c6 ff 4c 89 f7 48 c7 c6 a0 c6 12 84 e8 d0 b3 0f 00
 ...
 Call Trace:
  <TASK>
  nilfs_segctor_do_construct+0x4654/0x69d0 [nilfs2]
  nilfs_segctor_construct+0x181/0x6b0 [nilfs2]
  nilfs_segctor_thread+0x548/0x11c0 [nilfs2]
  kthread+0x2f0/0x390
  ret_from_fork+0x4b/0x80
  ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
  </TASK>

This is because when the log writer starts a writeback for segment summary
blocks or a super root block that use the backing device's page cache, it
does not wait for the ongoing folio/page writeback, resulting in an
inconsistent writeback state.

Fix this issue by waiting for ongoing writebacks when putting
folios/pages on the backing device into writeback state.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-37078?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-37078?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-37078 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-37078 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-37078 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-37078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jun 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-37078 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37078/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37078/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-37078
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37078
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-37078

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37078/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.