Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2021-46989

None

CVSS

—

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Feb 28, 2024

CISA due date

—

Cloudanix analysis

Monitor only SSVC: Track

A flaw in Linux file-system code can delete parts of a file's location information when the file is made smaller, leading to permanent data loss on certain disk formats.

Exploitation
Local Privilege
Attacker needs
Local User
Complexity
Moderate
Impact
Data Tampering
Component
OS kernel
Class
Other
Remediation
Upgrade
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

Incorrect extent record removal during shrinking truncate on HFS+ can delete an entire 8-extent record instead of trimming extents inside it, corrupting file metadata and causing lost data.

Why it matters to the business

Systems mounting HFS+ volumes risk silent data loss and filesystem corruption when files with many extents are truncated, potentially requiring restores from backup or offline repair.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local write access creates a file spanning at least ten extents on an HFS+ volume, then performs a shrinking truncate into the middle of the final extent record; the flawed hfsplus_file_truncate logic removes the entire record instead of partial extents, corrupting the catalog.

How to fix it

Upgrade to a Linux kernel containing the fix for CVE-2021-46989; rebuild and reboot any systems using the vulnerable hfsplus module. Unmount affected HFS+ volumes until patched.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm kernel version contains commit that restores the blk_cnt > start guard before hfs_brec_remove in hfsplus_file_truncate; test truncate of multi-extent files on HFS+ and verify no extent records are erroneously deleted.

Typical attack path

  1. Mount HFS+ filesystem
  2. Create or obtain file with 10+ extents stored partly in overflow file
  3. Issue ftruncate or equivalent that lands inside last extent record but leaves remainder not divisible by 8
  4. Trigger hfsplus_file_truncate path that calls hfs_brec_remove without proper guard
  5. Observe catalog corruption and data loss on subsequent access

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for hfsplus errors during truncate operations; look for unexpected hfs_brec_remove calls or catalog inconsistencies reported by fsck.hfsplus after truncation activity on HFS+ volumes.

What your security team should do

  • Identify all Linux hosts that may mount HFS+ volumes and schedule kernel updates
  • Disable HFS+ support (blacklist module) on systems that do not require it
  • Audit backup coverage for any data residing on HFS+ filesystems

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hfsplus: prevent corruption in shrinking truncate I believe there are some issues introduced by commit 31651c607151 ("hfsplus: avoid deadlock on file truncation") HFS+ has extent records which always contains 8 extents. In case the first extent record in catalog file gets full, new ones are allocated from extents overflow file. In case shrinking truncate happens to middle of an extent record which locates in extents overflow file, the logic in hfsplus_file_truncate() was changed so that call to hfs_brec_remove() is not guarded any more. Right action would be just freeing the extents that exceed the new size inside extent record by calling hfsplus_free_extents(), and then check if the whole extent record should be removed. However since the guard (blk_cnt > start) is now after the call to hfs_brec_remove(), this has unfortunate effect that the last matching extent record is removed unconditionally. To reproduce this issue, create a file which has at least 10 extents, and then perform shrinking truncate into middle of the last extent record, so that the number of remaining extents is not under or divisible by 8. This causes the last extent record (8 extents) to be removed totally instead of truncating into middle of it. Thus this causes corruption, and lost data. Fix for this is simply checking if the new truncated end is below the start of this extent record, making it safe to remove the full extent record. However call to hfs_brec_remove() can't be moved to it's previous place since we're dropping ->tree_lock and it can cause a race condition and the cached info being invalidated possibly corrupting the node data. Another issue is related to this one. When entering into the block (blk_cnt > start) we are not holding the ->tree_lock. We break out from the loop not holding the lock, but hfs_find_exit() does unlock it. Not sure if it's possible for someone else to take the lock under our feet, but it can cause hard to debug errors and premature unlocking. Even if there's no real risk of it, the locking should still always be kept in balance. Thus taking the lock now just before the check.

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed
Debian:11 linux 0 5.10.38-1
Debian:12 linux 0 5.10.38-1
Debian:13 linux 0 5.10.38-1
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-64kb 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP2 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP3 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1.150200.9.93.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-64kb 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP2 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP2 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP2_Update_46 0 1-150200.5.3.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP3 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP3 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP3_Update_42 0 1-150300.7.3.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-rt 0 5.3.18-150300.161.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-source-rt 0 5.3.18-150300.161.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-rt 0 5.3.18-150300.161.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-source-rt 0 5.3.18-150300.161.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1.150200.9.93.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-64kb 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-zfcpdump 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1.150200.9.93.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150200.24.183.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-default 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-default-base 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2.150300.18.90.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-docs 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-obs-build 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-preempt 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-source 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-syms 0 5.3.18-150300.59.153.1
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux 0 3.11.0-12.19
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial 0 4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux 0 4.4.0-2.16
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.4.0-1001.10
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe 0 4.15.0-1030.31~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-azure 0 4.11.0-1009.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 4.10.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 4.8.0-39.42~16.04.1
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.4.0-1004.9
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9~16.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux 0 4.13.0-16.19
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws 0 4.15.0-1001.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-aws-5.4 0 5.4.0-1054.57~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-4.15 0 4.15.0-1082.92
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-5.4 0 5.4.0-1055.57~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-azure-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-4.15 0 4.15.0-1071.81
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.4 0 5.4.0-1049.53~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-4.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gke-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.4 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.4 0 5.4.0-80.90~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.4 0 5.4.0-1010.11~18.04.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 4.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oem 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 4.15.0-1007.9
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.0 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.3 0 No fix
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.4 0 5.4.0-1052.56~18.04.1
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS linux-raspi-5.4 0 5.4.0-1041.45~18.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux 0 5.4.0-80.90
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.4.0-1054.57
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.15 0 5.15.0-1014.18~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-aws-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.4.0-1055.57
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.8~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.15 0 5.15.0-1019.24~20.04.1.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-bluefield 0 5.4.0-1016.19
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.4.0-1049.53
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.15 0 5.15.0-1006.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gke-5.15 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 5.4.0-1021.22
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-gkeop-5.15 0 5.15.0-1003.5~20.04.2
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.4.0-1003.4
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-ibm-5.15 0 5.15.0-1033.36~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 0 5.15.0-1003.5~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-iot 0 5.4.0-1001.3
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.4.0-1044.46
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 0 5.15.0-33.34~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.10 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.14 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oem-5.6 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle 0 5.4.0-1052.56
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.13 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.15 0 5.15.0-1007.9~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-oracle-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi 0 5.4.0-1041.45
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-raspi2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.11 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.15 0 5.15.0-1015.17~20.04.1
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-riscv-5.8 0 No fix
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 0 5.4.0-1020.24
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux 0 5.13.0-19.19
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-allwinner-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.5 0 6.5.0-1008.8~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-aws-6.8 0 6.8.0-1009.9~22.04.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure 0 5.13.0-1006.7
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.5 0 6.5.0-1007.7~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-6.8 0 6.8.0-1008.8~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde 0 5.15.0-1019.24.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-azure-fde-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp 0 5.13.0-1005.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.5 0 6.5.0-1010.10~22.04.3
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gcp-6.8 0 6.8.0-1010.11~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gke 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-gkeop 0 5.15.0-1001.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.5 0 6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-38.38~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-ibm 0 5.15.0-1002.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 0 5.15.0-1021.26
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-intel-iotg 0 5.15.0-1004.6
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-kvm 0 5.13.0-1004.4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency 0 5.15.0-22.22
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 0 6.5.0-14.14.1~22.04.1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 0 6.8.0-38.38.1~22.04.2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia 0 5.15.0-1005.5
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.2 0 No fix
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS linux-nvidia-6.5 0 6.5.0-1004.4

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