CVE-2021-47078

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/rxe: Clear all QP fields if creation failed rxe_qp_do_cleanup() relies on valid pointer values in QP for the properly created ones, but in case rxe_qp_from_init() failed it was filled with garbage and caused tot the following error. refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 12560 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0x1d1/0x1e0 lib/refcount.c:28 Modules linked in: CPU: 1 PID: 12560 Comm: syz-executor.4 Not tainted 5.12.0-syzkaller #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 01/01/2011 RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0x1d1/0x1e0 lib/refcount.c:28 Code: e9 db fe ff ff 48 89 df e8 2c c2 ea fd e9 8a fe ff ff e8 72 6a a7 fd 48 c7 c7 e0 b2 c1 89 c6 05 dc 3a e6 09 01 e8 ee 74 fb 04 <0f> 0b e9 af fe ff ff 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 41 56 41 55 41 54 55 RSP: 0018:ffffc900097ceba8 EFLAGS: 00010286 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000040000 RSI: ffffffff815bb075 RDI: fffff520012f9d67 RBP: 0000000000000003 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: ffffffff815b4eae R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ffff8880322a4800 R13: ffff8880322a4940 R14: ffff888033044e00 R15: 0000000000000000 FS: 00007f6eb2be3700(0000) GS:ffff8880b9d00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007fdbe5d41000 CR3: 000000001d181000 CR4: 00000000001506e0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: __refcount_sub_and_test include/linux/refcount.h:283 [inline] __refcount_dec_and_test include/linux/refcount.h:315 [inline] refcount_dec_and_test include/linux/refcount.h:333 [inline] kref_put include/linux/kref.h:64 [inline] rxe_qp_do_cleanup+0x96f/0xaf0 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_qp.c:805 execute_in_process_context+0x37/0x150 kernel/workqueue.c:3327 rxe_elem_release+0x9f/0x180 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_pool.c:391 kref_put include/linux/kref.h:65 [inline] rxe_create_qp+0x2cd/0x310 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_verbs.c:425 _ib_create_qp drivers/infiniband/core/core_priv.h:331 [inline] ib_create_named_qp+0x2ad/0x1370 drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:1231 ib_create_qp include/rdma/ib_verbs.h:3644 [inline] create_mad_qp+0x177/0x2d0 drivers/infiniband/core/mad.c:2920 ib_mad_port_open drivers/infiniband/core/mad.c:3001 [inline] ib_mad_init_device+0xd6f/0x1400 drivers/infiniband/core/mad.c:3092 add_client_context+0x405/0x5e0 drivers/infiniband/core/device.c:717 enable_device_and_get+0x1cd/0x3b0 drivers/infiniband/core/device.c:1331 ib_register_device drivers/infiniband/core/device.c:1413 [inline] ib_register_device+0x7c7/0xa50 drivers/infiniband/core/device.c:1365 rxe_register_device+0x3d5/0x4a0 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_verbs.c:1147 rxe_add+0x12fe/0x16d0 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c:247 rxe_net_add+0x8c/0xe0 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_net.c:503 rxe_newlink drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c:269 [inline] rxe_newlink+0xb7/0xe0 drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c:250 nldev_newlink+0x30e/0x550 drivers/infiniband/core/nldev.c:1555 rdma_nl_rcv_msg+0x36d/0x690 drivers/infiniband/core/netlink.c:195 rdma_nl_rcv_skb drivers/infiniband/core/netlink.c:239 [inline] rdma_nl_rcv+0x2ee/0x430 drivers/infiniband/core/netlink.c:259 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1312 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x533/0x7d0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1338 netlink_sendmsg+0x856/0xd90 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1927 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:654 [inline] sock_sendmsg+0xcf/0x120 net/socket.c:674 ____sys_sendmsg+0x6e8/0x810 net/socket.c:2350 ___sys_sendmsg+0xf3/0x170 net/socket.c:2404 __sys_sendmsg+0xe5/0x1b0 net/socket.c:2433 do_syscall_64+0x3a/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:47 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0 ---truncated---

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.3% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2024-03-01 22:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-08-04 10:16 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.3% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2024-03-01 22:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-08-04 10:16 UTC

Exploit probability

0.3% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-416 · Use after free

Record status

Modified

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 4.9.270
• Linux Kernel < 4.14.234
• Linux Kernel < 4.19.192
• Linux Kernel < 5.4.122
• Linux Kernel < 5.10.40
• Linux Kernel < 5.12.7
• Linux Kernel 5.13

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.8

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2021-47078.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2021-47078. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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