ext4: Memory Leak in ext4_fill_super

Kernel Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

25/06/2021

Disclosed on

N/A

Severity

No i

Fix available

Unrated

Severity

Not published

CVSS Score

GSD-2021-1000776: ext4: fix memory leak in ext4_fill_super. Affects Kernel versions >= ce40733ce93de402ed629762f0e912d9af187cef, < 01d349a481f0591230300a9171330136f9159bcd. No fix is published. How to fix ↓

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Background

The ext4 filesystem is a widely used filesystem in the Linux kernel. It provides features such as journaling, scalability, and support for large files and filesystems. The ext4_fill_super function is responsible for initializing and populating the superblock structure for ext4 filesystems. However, a memory leak vulnerability has been discovered in this function.

Vulnerability Detail

The memory leak vulnerability in ext4_fill_super allows an attacker to cause a denial-of-service condition by repeatedly mounting and unmounting a specially crafted ext4 filesystem. Each mount operation results in a small memory leak, eventually exhausting system resources. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely by an unauthenticated attacker.

How To Fix

No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.

To fix this vulnerability, update the Linux Kernel to version v5.10.43 or later. The fix for this issue was implemented in commit 01d349a481f0591230300a9171330136f9159bcd. It is recommended to regularly update the kernel to ensure the latest security patches are applied.

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Workaround

There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is necessary to update the Linux Kernel to the fixed version.

Conclusion

The memory leak vulnerability in ext4_fill_super can be mitigated by updating the Linux Kernel to version v5.10.43 or later. Regularly updating the kernel is recommended to ensure the latest security patches are applied. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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