CVE-2021-41615 is a vulnerability that affects the Linux kernel's file system layer. The flaw allows a local attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on affected systems. The vulnerability is due to a buffer overflow issue in the EXT4 file system implementation, which can be exploited by an attacker to gain root access to the targeted system.
The vulnerability was first discovered and reported to the Linux community on September 3, 2021. It was classified as a critical severity issue and assigned CVE-2021-41615. A patch for the vulnerability was released on September 13, 2021, and it was included in the Linux kernel version 5.14.2. The patch addresses the buffer overflow issue by limiting the size of file system block groups to prevent the buffer from overflowing.
As CVE-2021-41615 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability, it requires an attacker to have access to the targeted system and be able to run malicious code on it. Therefore, the risk of exploitation is relatively low, but it is still recommended that affected systems are patched as soon as possible to prevent any potential attacks. System administrators should also ensure that their systems are updated to the latest versions and regularly apply security patches to mitigate any future vulnerabilities.