Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47451)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47451). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: xt_IDLETIMER: fix panic that occurs when timer_type has garbage value
Currently, when the rule related to IDLETIMER is added, idletimer_tg timer
structure is initialized by kmalloc on executing idletimer_tg_create
function. However, in this process timer->timer_type is not defined to
a specific value. Thus, timer->timer_type has garbage value and it occurs
kernel panic. So, this commit fixes the panic by initializing
timer->timer_type using kzalloc instead of kmalloc.
Test commands:
# iptables -A OUTPUT -j IDLETIMER --timeout 1 --label test
$ cat /sys/class/xt_idletimer/timers/test
Killed
Splat looks like:
BUG: KASAN: user-memory-access in alarm_expires_remaining+0x49/0x70
Read of size 8 at addr 0000002e8c7bc4c8 by task cat/917
CPU: 12 PID: 917 Comm: cat Not tainted 5.14.0+ #3 79940a339f71eb14fc81aee1757a20d5bf13eb0e
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.13.0-1ubuntu1.1 04/01/2014
Call Trace:
dump_stack_lvl+0x6e/0x9c
kasan_report.cold+0x112/0x117
? alarm_expires_remaining+0x49/0x70
__asan_load8+0x86/0xb0
alarm_expires_remaining+0x49/0x70
idletimer_tg_show+0xe5/0x19b [xt_IDLETIMER 11219304af9316a21bee5ba9d58f76a6b9bccc6d]
dev_attr_show+0x3c/0x60
sysfs_kf_seq_show+0x11d/0x1f0
? device_remove_bin_file+0x20/0x20
kernfs_seq_show+0xa4/0xb0
seq_read_iter+0x29c/0x750
kernfs_fop_read_iter+0…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2021-47451 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 7.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2021-47451" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2021-47451 (Linux kernel) — CWE-908 / CVSS v3 7.8
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-908) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47451 linux Fixed in: 5.14.16-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47451 linux-hwe-edge
References
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org