CVE-2021-46942

CVE-2021-46942 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring: fix shared sqpoll cancellation hangs [ 736.982891] INFO: task iou-sqp-4294:4295 blocked for more than 122 seconds. [ 736.982897] Call Trace: [ 736.982901] schedule+0x68/0xe0 [ 736.982903] io_uring_cancel_sqpoll+0xdb/0x110 [ 736.982908] io_sqpoll_cancel_cb+0x24/0x30 [ 736.982911] io_run_task_work_head+0x28/0x50 [ 736.982913] io_sq_thread+0x4e3/0x720 We call io_uring_cancel_sqpoll() one by one for each ctx either in sq_thread() itself or via task works, and it's intended to cancel all requests of a specified context. However the function uses per-task counters to track the number of inflight requests, so it counts more requests than available via currect io_uring ctx and goes to sleep for them to appear (e.g. from IRQ), that will never happen. Cancel a bit more than before, i.e. all ctxs that share sqpoll and continue to use shared counters. Don't forget that we should not remove ctx from the list before running that task_work sqpoll-cancel, otherwise the function wouldn't be able to find the context and will hang.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-46942?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring: fix shared sqpoll cancellation hangs [ 736.982891] INFO: task iou-sqp-4294:4295 blocked for more than 122 seconds. [ 736.982897] Call Trace: [ 736.982901] schedule+0x68/0xe0 [ 736.982903] io_uring_cancel_sqpoll+0xdb/0x110 [ 736.982908] io_sqpoll_cancel_cb+0x24/0x30 [ 736.982911] io_run_task_work_head+0x28/0x50 [ 736.982913] io_sq_thread+0x4e3/0x720 We call io_uring_cancel_sqpoll() one by one for each ctx either in sq_thread() itself or via task works, and it's intended to cancel all requests of a specified context. However the function uses per-task counters to track the number of inflight requests, so it counts more requests than available via currect io_uring ctx and goes to sleep for them to appear (e.g. from IRQ), that will never happen. Cancel a bit more than before, i.e. all ctxs that share sqpoll and continue to use shared counters. Don't forget that we should not remove ctx from the list before running that task_work sqpoll-cancel, otherwise the function wouldn't be able to find the context and will hang.
How severe is CVE-2021-46942?
CVE-2021-46942 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-46942 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-46942?
CVE-2021-46942 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-46942?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2021-46942 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2021-46942 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-33590.
When was CVE-2021-46942 published?
CVE-2021-46942 was published on 2024-02-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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