CVE-2024-50250: fsdax: dax_unshare_iter needs to copy entire blocks
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
fsdax: dax_unshare_iter needs to copy entire blocks
The code that copies data from srcmap to iomap in dax_unshare_iter is
very very broken, which bfoster's recent fsx changes have exposed.
If the pos and len passed to dax_file_unshare are not aligned to an
fsblock boundary, the iter pos and length in the _iter function will
reflect this unalignment.
dax_iomap_direct_access always returns a pointer to the start of the
kmapped fsdax page, even if its pos argument is in the middle of that
page. This is catastrophic for data integrity when iter->pos is not
aligned to a page, because daddr/saddr do not point to the same byte in
the file as iter->pos. Hence we corrupt user data by copying it to the
wrong place.
If iter->pos + iomap_length() in the _iter function not aligned to a
page, then we fail to copy a full block, and only partially populate the
destination block. This is catastrophic for data confidentiality
because we expose stale pmem contents.
Fix both of these issues by aligning copy_pos/copy_len to a page
boundary (remember, this is fsdax so 1 fsblock == 1 base page) so that
we always copy full blocks.
We're not done yet -- there's no call to invalidate_inode_pages2_range,
so programs that have the file range mmap'd will continue accessing the
old memory mapping after the file metadata updates have completed.
Be careful with the return value -- if the unshare succeeds, we still
need to return the number of bytes that the iomap iter thinks we're
operating on.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux filesystem DAX flaw can copy data to the wrong location or leave old persistent-memory data visible when file ranges are unshared without block alignment. This can corrupt files and disclose stale data. Exploitation requires local, low-privileged access and a system using affected fsdax functionality.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation on shared or sensitive systems using fsdax, especially where untrusted local users or workloads have file access. Other Linux hosts have lower immediate exposure but should still be checked. Treat unexplained file corruption or stale-data disclosure on fsdax systems as a potential security incident.
Technical view
dax_unshare_iter used unaligned iterator offsets although dax_iomap_direct_access returns the beginning of the mapped fsdax page. This mismatch can cause wrong-offset copies and partially initialized destination blocks. The resolution aligns copy positions and lengths to full page-sized filesystem blocks. The disclosure also notes stale mmap mappings from missing range invalidation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is concentrated on affected Linux kernels running filesystems with fsdax on persistent memory. Systems not using fsdax are unlikely to reach the vulnerable path. Confirm distribution backports rather than relying only on upstream version numbers, because the supplied version data includes multiple kernel branches and commit identifiers.
Exploitation context
The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 with local access, low complexity, low privileges, and no user interaction. The supplied sources support confidentiality, integrity, and availability risk. CISA KEV status is false, and no supplied source establishes active exploitation or a public exploit.
Researcher notes
The vulnerable behavior is specific to block-unaligned unshare operations. Wrong pointer-relative offsets create corruption, while incomplete block copies can expose stale persistent-memory contents. The original description separately flags missing page-cache range invalidation, allowing existing mmap users to retain old mappings. The supplied evidence does not identify exploitation in the wild.
Mitigation direction
Upgrade to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced stable fix.
Check distribution security guidance for backported fixes and exact package versions.
Prioritize hosts using fsdax-backed persistent-memory filesystems.
Restrict unnecessary local access to affected fsdax files until remediation.
Validation and detection
Inventory kernel versions and distribution package revisions.
Identify mounted filesystems configured for fsdax or persistent-memory DAX.
Confirm the vendor kernel includes the applicable stable fix commit.
Review integrity monitoring and logs for unexplained fsdax file corruption.
Test remediation safely with non-production data and existing regression suites.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
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2CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
6Source links
SSVC decision data
CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total
CVSS vector scores
2 official scores
We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.