CVE-2021-46986

CVE-2021-46986 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. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Free gadget structure only after freeing endpoints As part of commit e81a7018d93a ("usb: dwc3: allocate gadget structure dynamically") the dwc3_gadget_release() was added which will free the dwc->gadget structure upon the device's removal when usb_del_gadget_udc() is called in dwc3_gadget_exit(). However, simply freeing the gadget results a dangling pointer situation: the endpoints created in dwc3_gadget_init_endpoints() have their dep->endpoint.ep_list members chained off the list_head anchored at dwc->gadget->ep_list. Thus when dwc->gadget is freed, the first dwc3_ep in the list now has a dangling prev pointer and likewise for the next pointer of the dwc3_ep at the tail of the list. The dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() that follows will result in a use-after-free when it calls list_del(). This was caught by enabling KASAN and performing a driver unbind. The recent commit 568262bf5492 ("usb: dwc3: core: Add shutdown callback for dwc3") also exposes this as a panic during shutdown. There are a few possibilities to fix this. One could be to perform a list_del() of the gadget->ep_list itself which removes it from the rest of the dwc3_ep chain. Another approach is what this patch does, by splitting up the usb_del_gadget_udc() call into its separate "del" and "put" components. This allows dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() to be called before the gadget is finally freed with usb_put_gadget().

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-46986?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Free gadget structure only after freeing endpoints As part of commit e81a7018d93a ("usb: dwc3: allocate gadget structure dynamically") the dwc3_gadget_release() was added which will free the dwc->gadget structure upon the device's removal when usb_del_gadget_udc() is called in dwc3_gadget_exit(). However, simply freeing the gadget results a dangling pointer situation: the endpoints created in dwc3_gadget_init_endpoints() have their dep->endpoint.ep_list members chained off the list_head anchored at dwc->gadget->ep_list. Thus when dwc->gadget is freed, the first dwc3_ep in the list now has a dangling prev pointer and likewise for the next pointer of the dwc3_ep at the tail of the list. The dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() that follows will result in a use-after-free when it calls list_del(). This was caught by enabling KASAN and performing a driver unbind. The recent commit 568262bf5492 ("usb: dwc3: core: Add shutdown callback for dwc3") also exposes this as a panic during shutdown. There are a few possibilities to fix this. One could be to perform a list_del() of the gadget->ep_list itself which removes it from the rest of the dwc3_ep chain. Another approach is what this patch does, by splitting up the usb_del_gadget_udc() call into its separate "del" and "put" components. This allows dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() to be called before the gadget is finally freed with usb_put_gadget().
How severe is CVE-2021-46986?
CVE-2021-46986 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-2021-46986 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (14th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-46986?
CVE-2021-46986 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-46986?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2021-46986 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2021-46986 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-33634.
When was CVE-2021-46986 published?
CVE-2021-46986 was published on 2024-02-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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