CVE-2021-46945

CVE-2021-46945 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: always panic when errors=panic is specified Before commit 014c9caa29d3 ("ext4: make ext4_abort() use __ext4_error()"), the following series of commands would trigger a panic: 1. mount /dev/sda -o ro,errors=panic test 2. mount /dev/sda -o remount,abort test After commit 014c9caa29d3, remounting a file system using the test mount option "abort" will no longer trigger a panic. This commit will restore the behaviour immediately before commit 014c9caa29d3. (However, note that the Linux kernel's behavior has not been consistent; some previous kernel versions, including 5.4 and 4.19 similarly did not panic after using the mount option "abort".) This also makes a change to long-standing behaviour; namely, the following series commands will now cause a panic, when previously it did not: 1. mount /dev/sda -o ro,errors=panic test 2. echo test > /sys/fs/ext4/sda/trigger_fs_error However, this makes ext4's behaviour much more consistent, so this is a good thing.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-46945?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: always panic when errors=panic is specified Before commit 014c9caa29d3 ("ext4: make ext4_abort() use __ext4_error()"), the following series of commands would trigger a panic: 1. mount /dev/sda -o ro,errors=panic test 2. mount /dev/sda -o remount,abort test After commit 014c9caa29d3, remounting a file system using the test mount option "abort" will no longer trigger a panic. This commit will restore the behaviour immediately before commit 014c9caa29d3. (However, note that the Linux kernel's behavior has not been consistent; some previous kernel versions, including 5.4 and 4.19 similarly did not panic after using the mount option "abort".) This also makes a change to long-standing behaviour; namely, the following series commands will now cause a panic, when previously it did not: 1. mount /dev/sda -o ro,errors=panic test 2. echo test > /sys/fs/ext4/sda/trigger_fs_error However, this makes ext4's behaviour much more consistent, so this is a good thing.
How severe is CVE-2021-46945?
CVE-2021-46945 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-46945 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (13th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-46945?
CVE-2021-46945 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-46945?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2021-46945 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2021-46945 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-33593.
When was CVE-2021-46945 published?
CVE-2021-46945 was published on 2024-02-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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