CVE-2021-47555

CVE-2021-47555 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-191.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: vlan: fix underflow for the real_dev refcnt Inject error before dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(), and execute the following testcase: ip link add dev dummy1 type dummy ip link add name dummy1.100 link dummy1 type vlan id 100 ip link del dev dummy1 When the dummy netdevice is removed, we will get a WARNING as following: ======================================================================= refcount_t: decrement hit 0; leaking memory. WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 0 at lib/refcount.c:31 refcount_warn_saturate+0xbf/0x1e0 and an endless loop of: ======================================================================= unregister_netdevice: waiting for dummy1 to become free. Usage count = -1073741824 That is because dev_put(real_dev) in vlan_dev_free() be called without dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(). It makes the refcnt of real_dev underflow. Move the dev_hold(real_dev) to vlan_dev_init() which is the call-back of ndo_init(). That makes dev_hold() and dev_put() for vlan's real_dev symmetrical.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-47555?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: vlan: fix underflow for the real_dev refcnt Inject error before dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(), and execute the following testcase: ip link add dev dummy1 type dummy ip link add name dummy1.100 link dummy1 type vlan id 100 ip link del dev dummy1 When the dummy netdevice is removed, we will get a WARNING as following: ======================================================================= refcount_t: decrement hit 0; leaking memory. WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 0 at lib/refcount.c:31 refcount_warn_saturate+0xbf/0x1e0 and an endless loop of: ======================================================================= unregister_netdevice: waiting for dummy1 to become free. Usage count = -1073741824 That is because dev_put(real_dev) in vlan_dev_free() be called without dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(). It makes the refcnt of real_dev underflow. Move the dev_hold(real_dev) to vlan_dev_init() which is the call-back of ndo_init(). That makes dev_hold() and dev_put() for vlan's real_dev symmetrical.
How severe is CVE-2021-47555?
CVE-2021-47555 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-2021-47555 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (11th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-47555?
CVE-2021-47555 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-47555?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2021-47555 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2021-47555 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-34557.
When was CVE-2021-47555 published?
CVE-2021-47555 was published on 2024-05-24 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

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