Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47638)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2021-47638). 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:
ubifs: rename_whiteout: Fix double free for whiteout_ui->data
'whiteout_ui->data' will be freed twice if space budget fail for
rename whiteout operation as following process:
rename_whiteout
dev = kmalloc
whiteout_ui->data = dev
kfree(whiteout_ui->data) // Free first time
iput(whiteout)
ubifs_free_inode
kfree(ui->data) // Double free!
KASAN reports:
BUG: KASAN: double-free or invalid-free in ubifs_free_inode+0x4f/0x70
Call Trace:
kfree+0x117/0x490
ubifs_free_inode+0x4f/0x70 [ubifs]
i_callback+0x30/0x60
rcu_do_batch+0x366/0xac0
__do_softirq+0x133/0x57f
Allocated by task 1506:
kmem_cache_alloc_trace+0x3c2/0x7a0
do_rename+0x9b7/0x1150 [ubifs]
ubifs_rename+0x106/0x1f0 [ubifs]
do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80
Freed by task 1506:
kfree+0x117/0x490
do_rename.cold+0x53/0x8a [ubifs]
ubifs_rename+0x106/0x1f0 [ubifs]
do_syscall_64+0x35/0x80
The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff88810238bed8 which
belongs to the cache kmalloc-8 of size 8
Let ubifs_free_inode() free 'whiteout_ui->data'. BTW, delete unused
assignment 'whiteout_ui->data_len = 0', process 'ubifs_evict_inode()
-> ubifs_jnl_delete_inode() -> ubifs_jnl_write_inode()' doesn't need it
(because 'inc_nlink(whiteout)' won't be excuted by 'goto out_release',
and the nlink of whi…
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-2021-47638 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-2021-47638" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2021-47638 (Linux kernel) — CWE-415 / 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-415) 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-2021-47638 linux Fixed in: 5.10.113-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47638 linux-azure Fixed in: 4.15.0-1146.161~14.04.1
References
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org