Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47517)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47517). 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:
ethtool: do not perform operations on net devices being unregistered
There is a short period between a net device starts to be unregistered
and when it is actually gone. In that time frame ethtool operations
could still be performed, which might end up in unwanted or undefined
behaviours[1].
Do not allow ethtool operations after a net device starts its
unregistration. This patch targets the netlink part as the ioctl one
isn't affected: the reference to the net device is taken and the
operation is executed within an rtnl lock section and the net device
won't be found after unregister.
[1] For example adding Tx queues after unregister ends up in NULL
pointer exceptions and UaFs, such as:
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in kobject_get+0x14/0x90
Read of size 1 at addr ffff88801961248c by task ethtool/755
CPU: 0 PID: 755 Comm: ethtool Not tainted 5.15.0-rc6+ #778
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.14.0-4.fc34 04/014
Call Trace:
dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x72
print_address_description.constprop.0+0x1f/0x140
kasan_report.cold+0x7f/0x11b
kobject_get+0x14/0x90
kobject_add_internal+0x3d1/0x450
kobject_init_and_add+0xba/0xf0
netdev_queue_update_kobjects+0xcf/0x200
netif_set_real_num_tx_queues+0xb4/0x310
veth_set_channels+0x1c3/0x550
ethnl_set_channels+0x524/0x610
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-2021-47517 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-2021-47517" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2021-47517 (Linux kernel) — CWE-416 / 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.
Use-after-free (CWE-416) 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-2021-47517 linux Fixed in: 5.15.15-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47517 linux-hwe-edge
References
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org