CVE-2024-57975: btrfs: do proper folio cleanup when run_delalloc_nocow() failed
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
btrfs: do proper folio cleanup when run_delalloc_nocow() failed
[BUG]
With CONFIG_DEBUG_VM set, test case generic/476 has some chance to crash
with the following VM_BUG_ON_FOLIO():
BTRFS error (device dm-3): cow_file_range failed, start 1146880 end 1253375 len 106496 ret -28
BTRFS error (device dm-3): run_delalloc_nocow failed, start 1146880 end 1253375 len 106496 ret -28
page: refcount:4 mapcount:0 mapping:00000000592787cc index:0x12 pfn:0x10664
aops:btrfs_aops [btrfs] ino:101 dentry name(?):"f1774"
flags: 0x2fffff80004028(uptodate|lru|private|node=0|zone=2|lastcpupid=0xfffff)
page dumped because: VM_BUG_ON_FOLIO(!folio_test_locked(folio))
------------[ cut here ]------------
kernel BUG at mm/page-writeback.c:2992!
Internal error: Oops - BUG: 00000000f2000800 [#1] SMP
CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 3943513 Comm: kworker/u24:15 Tainted: G OE 6.12.0-rc7-custom+ #87
Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE, [E]=UNSIGNED_MODULE
Hardware name: QEMU KVM Virtual Machine, BIOS unknown 2/2/2022
Workqueue: events_unbound btrfs_async_reclaim_data_space [btrfs]
pc : folio_clear_dirty_for_io+0x128/0x258
lr : folio_clear_dirty_for_io+0x128/0x258
Call trace:
folio_clear_dirty_for_io+0x128/0x258
btrfs_folio_clamp_clear_dirty+0x80/0xd0 [btrfs]
__process_folios_contig+0x154/0x268 [btrfs]
extent_clear_unlock_delalloc+0x5c/0x80 [btrfs]
run_delalloc_nocow+0x5f8/0x760 [btrfs]
btrfs_run_delalloc_range+0xa8/0x220 [btrfs]
writepage_delalloc+0x230/0x4c8 [btrfs]
extent_writepage+0xb8/0x358 [btrfs]
extent_write_cache_pages+0x21c/0x4e8 [btrfs]
btrfs_writepages+0x94/0x150 [btrfs]
do_writepages+0x74/0x190
filemap_fdatawrite_wbc+0x88/0xc8
start_delalloc_inodes+0x178/0x3a8 [btrfs]
btrfs_start_delalloc_roots+0x174/0x280 [btrfs]
shrink_delalloc+0x114/0x280 [btrfs]
flush_space+0x250/0x2f8 [btrfs]
btrfs_async_reclaim_data_space+0x180/0x228 [btrfs]
process_one_work+0x164/0x408
worker_thread+0x25c/0x388
kthread+0x100/0x118
ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20
Code: 910a8021 a90363f7 a9046bf9 94012379 (d4210000)
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
[CAUSE]
The first two lines of extra debug messages show the problem is caused
by the error handling of run_delalloc_nocow().
E.g. we have the following dirtied range (4K blocksize 4K page size):
0 16K 32K
|//////////////////////////////////////|
| Pre-allocated |
And the range [0, 16K) has a preallocated extent.
- Enter run_delalloc_nocow() for range [0, 16K)
Which found range [0, 16K) is preallocated, can do the proper NOCOW
write.
- Enter fallback_to_fow() for range [16K, 32K)
Since the range [16K, 32K) is not backed by preallocated extent, we
have to go COW.
- cow_file_range() failed for range [16K, 32K)
So cow_file_range() will do the clean up by clearing folio dirty,
unlock the folios.
Now the folios in range [16K, 32K) is unlocked.
- Enter extent_clear_unlock_delalloc() from run_delalloc_nocow()
Which is called with PAGE_START_WRITEBACK to start page writeback.
But folios can only be marked writeback when it's properly locked,
thus this triggered the VM_BUG_ON_FOLIO().
Furthermore there is another hidden but common bug that
run_delalloc_nocow() is not clearing the folio dirty flags in its error
handling path.
This is the common bug shared between run_delalloc_nocow() and
cow_file_range().
[FIX]
- Clear folio dirty for range [@start, @cur_offset)
Introduce a helper, cleanup_dirty_folios(), which
will find and lock the folio in the range, clear the dirty flag and
start/end the writeback, with the extra handling for the
@locked_folio.
- Introduce a helper to clear folio dirty, start and end writeback
- Introduce a helper to record the last failed COW range end
This is to trace which range we should skip, to avoid double
unlocking.
- Skip the failed COW range for the e
---truncated---
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-57975 is a Linux kernel btrfs bug in writeback error handling. Under a failed copy-on-write path, the kernel can mishandle folio cleanup and trigger a kernel BUG in debug builds. The practical business concern is reliability of systems using btrfs on affected kernels, not confirmed data theft or remote compromise.
Executive priority
Schedule remediation through the normal kernel patch cycle, with higher priority for production hosts using btrfs. Escalate if logs show related btrfs errors or if vendor advisories rate the downstream package more severely.
Technical view
The issue is in btrfs run_delalloc_nocow() error handling. After cow_file_range() fails and unlocks folios, run_delalloc_nocow() can call extent_clear_unlock_delalloc() with PAGE_START_WRITEBACK, attempting writeback on unlocked folios. The fix adds dirty-folio cleanup helpers and avoids double-unlocking failed COW ranges.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Linux systems using btrfs on affected kernel versions or vendor backports lacking the cited stable commits. The source references test-triggered crashes involving delalloc, NOCOW, preallocated extents, and failed COW handling. Non-btrfs systems are not indicated as affected by the supplied sources.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing, public exploitation, or an exploit path. The reported crash came from xfstests generic/476 with CONFIG_DEBUG_VM enabled. Treat this as a kernel reliability and potential local denial-of-service concern unless vendor guidance states otherwise.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports a specific btrfs folio cleanup bug and kernel crash condition, but not active exploitation or broader impact. The CVE data has no CVSS or CWE in the supplied bundle. Version applicability should be confirmed against vendor backports and the three stable kernel commits.
Mitigation direction
Update to a vendor kernel that includes the cited btrfs stable fixes.
Confirm downstream distribution advisories before relying on version numbers alone.
Prioritize patching systems using btrfs for production storage workloads.
If patching is delayed, reduce risky btrfs writeback pressure where operationally feasible.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux hosts using btrfs filesystems.
Map running kernels to vendor advisories and the cited stable commit IDs.
Review kernel logs for BTRFS cow_file_range or run_delalloc_nocow failures.
Test patched kernels in staging with representative btrfs write workloads.
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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Feb 27, 2025, 02:07 UTC (UTC+00:00)
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