HIGH
CVE-2021-40490
CWE-362Published: September 3, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.0
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
A race condition was discovered in ext4_write_inline_data_end in fs/ext4/inline.c in the ext4 subsystem in the Linux kernel through 5.13.13.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-40490 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.0.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (14)
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https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/10/msg00010.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
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https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00012.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
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https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211004-0001/Third Party Advisory
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https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4978Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
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→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/10/msg00010.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00012.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211004-0001/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4978Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-40490
CVSS Score7.0 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-362
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedSep 3, 2021
Related CVEs (CWE-362)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-40490 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.