// For flags

CVE-2021-46988

userfaultfd: release page in error path to avoid BUG_ON

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

Track
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: userfaultfd: release page in error path to avoid BUG_ON Consider the following sequence of events: 1. Userspace issues a UFFD ioctl, which ends up calling into shmem_mfill_atomic_pte(). We successfully account the blocks, we shmem_alloc_page(), but then the copy_from_user() fails. We return -ENOENT. We don't release the page we allocated.
2. Our caller detects this error code, tries the copy_from_user() after dropping the mmap_lock, and retries, calling back into shmem_mfill_atomic_pte().
3. Meanwhile, let's say another process filled up the tmpfs being used.
4. So shmem_mfill_atomic_pte() fails to account blocks this time, and immediately returns - without releasing the page. This triggers a BUG_ON in our caller, which asserts that the page
should always be consumed, unless -ENOENT is returned. To fix this, detect if we have such a "dangling" page when accounting
fails, and if so, release it before returning.

En el kernel de Linux, se resolvió la siguiente vulnerabilidad: userfaultfd: publicar página en ruta de error para evitar BUG_ON Considere la siguiente secuencia de eventos: 1. Userspace emite un ioctl UFFD, que termina llamando a shmem_mfill_atomic_pte(). Contamos con éxito los bloques, usamos shmem_alloc_page(), pero luego copy_from_user() falla. Volvemos -ENOENT. No publicamos la página que asignamos. 2. Nuestra persona que llama detecta este código de error, intenta copiar_from_user() después de descartar mmap_lock y vuelve a intentarlo, volviendo a llamar a shmem_mfill_atomic_pte(). 3. Mientras tanto, digamos que otro proceso llenó los tmpfs que se estaban utilizando. 4. Entonces shmem_mfill_atomic_pte() no logra bloquear la cuenta esta vez y regresa inmediatamente, sin liberar la página. Esto desencadena un BUG_ON en nuestra persona que llama, que afirma que la página siempre debe consumirse, a menos que se devuelva -ENOENT. Para solucionar este problema, detectar si tenemos esa página "colgante" cuando falla la contabilidad y, en caso afirmativo, liberarla antes de regresar.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: userfaultfd: release page in error path to avoid BUG_ON Consider the following sequence of events: 1. Userspace issues a UFFD ioctl, which ends up calling into shmem_mfill_atomic_pte(). We successfully account the blocks, we shmem_alloc_page(), but then the copy_from_user() fails. We return -ENOENT. We don't release the page we allocated. 2. Our caller detects this error code, tries the copy_from_user() after dropping the mmap_lock, and retries, calling back into shmem_mfill_atomic_pte(). 3. Meanwhile, let's say another process filled up the tmpfs being used. 4. So shmem_mfill_atomic_pte() fails to account blocks this time, and immediately returns - without releasing the page. This triggers a BUG_ON in our caller, which asserts that the page should always be consumed, unless -ENOENT is returned. To fix this, detect if we have such a "dangling" page when accounting fails, and if so, release it before returning.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
Single
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:Track
Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Tech. Impact
Partial
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2024-02-27 CVE Reserved
  • 2024-02-28 CVE Published
  • 2024-12-19 CVE Updated
  • 2025-03-30 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 4.14.233
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 4.14.233"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 4.19.191
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 4.19.191"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 5.4.120
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 5.4.120"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 5.10.38
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 5.10.38"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 5.11.22
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 5.11.22"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 5.12.5
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 5.12.5"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 4.11 < 5.13
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 4.11 < 5.13"
en
Affected