How severe is CVE-2024-40972?

CVE-2024-40972 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-2024-40972 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-2024-40972?

CVE-2024-40972 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2024-40972?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

Does CVE-2024-40972 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2024-40972 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-38769.

When was CVE-2024-40972 published?

CVE-2024-40972 was published on 2024-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2024-40972

CVE-2024-40972 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. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-667.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (13th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2024-38769
Weakness: CWE-667
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2024-07-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: do not create EA inode under buffer lock ext4_xattr_set_entry() creates new EA inodes while holding buffer lock on the external xattr block. This is problematic as it nests all the allocation locking (which acquires locks on other buffers) under the buffer lock. This can even deadlock when the filesystem is corrupted and e.g. quota file is setup to contain xattr block as data block. Move the allocation of EA inode out of ext4_xattr_set_entry() into the callers.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-40972?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: do not create EA inode under buffer lock ext4_xattr_set_entry() creates new EA inodes while holding buffer lock on the external xattr block. This is problematic as it nests all the allocation locking (which acquires locks on other buffers) under the buffer lock. This can even deadlock when the filesystem is corrupted and e.g. quota file is setup to contain xattr block as data block. Move the allocation of EA inode out of ext4_xattr_set_entry() into the callers.
How severe is CVE-2024-40972?: CVE-2024-40972 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-2024-40972 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-2024-40972?: CVE-2024-40972 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-40972?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2024-40972 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2024-40972 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-38769.
When was CVE-2024-40972 published?: CVE-2024-40972 was published on 2024-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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