# CVE-2024-49883: ext4: aovid use-after-free in ext4_ext_insert_extent()

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ext4 filesystem allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted filesystem operations.

- **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:** 21 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-51360, BELL-CVE-2024-49883, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-49883, GHSA-w38v-phv7-fjq8, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-49883

## What is CVE-2024-49883?

CVE-2024-49883 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 21 Oct 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:

ext4: aovid use-after-free in ext4_ext_insert_extent()

As Ojaswin mentioned in Link, in ext4_ext_insert_extent(), if the path is
reallocated in ext4_ext_create_new_leaf(), we'll use the stale path and
cause UAF. Below is a sample trace with dummy values:

ext4_ext_insert_extent
  path = *ppath = 2000
  ext4_ext_create_new_leaf(ppath)
    ext4_find_extent(ppath)
      path = *ppath = 2000
      if (depth > path[0].p_maxdepth)
            kfree(path = 2000);
            *ppath = path = NULL;
      path = kcalloc() = 3000
      *ppath = 3000;
      return path;
  /* here path is still 2000, UAF! */
  eh = path[depth].p_hdr

==================================================================
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ext4_ext_insert_extent+0x26d4/0x3330
Read of size 8 at addr ffff8881027bf7d0 by task kworker/u36:1/179
CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 179 Comm: kworker/u6:1 Not tainted 6.11.0-rc2-dirty #866
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 ext4_ext_insert_extent+0x26d4/0x3330
 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0xe22/0x2d40
 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700
 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800
[...]

Allocated by task 179:
 ext4_find_extent+0x81c/0x1f70
 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0x146/0x2d40
 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700
 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800
 ext4_writepages+0x26d/0x4e0
 do_writepages+0x175/0x700
[...]

Freed by task 179:
 kfree+0xcb/0x240
 ext4_find_extent+0x7c0/0x1f70
 ext4_ext_insert_extent+0xa26/0x3330
 ext4_ext_map_blocks+0xe22/0x2d40
 ext4_map_blocks+0x71e/0x1700
 ext4_do_writepages+0x1290/0x2800
 ext4_writepages+0x26d/0x4e0
 do_writepages+0x175/0x700
[...]
==================================================================

So use *ppath to update the path to avoid the above problem.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-49883?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-49883?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-49883 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-49883 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-49883 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-49883 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 21 Oct 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-2024-49883 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2024-49883/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49883/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-49883
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-49883
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-49883

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49883/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.