CVE-2024-49983

A flaw was found in the ext4 file system component of the Linux kernel. Improper pointer handling during journal replay operations can trigger a double-free condition, where the system attempts to release the same memory block twice. A local user could exploit this vulnerability by mounting a specially crafted or corrupted file system image, causing a kernel crash and resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity for Red Hat Enterprise Linux because exploitation is restricted to local attack vectors and primarily leads to a denial of service via a kernel crash. The flaw stems from improper pointer management during ext4 fast-commit journal recovery, which can trigger a double-free condition when processing corrupted filesystem metadata. Under standard enterprise deployments, non-privileged users cannot mount arbitrary storage volumes, substantially mitigating risk unless privileged access or automatic mounting of untrusted media is permitted.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.