CVE-2021-47237

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: hamradio: fix memory leak in mkiss_close My local syzbot instance hit memory leak in mkiss_open()[1]. The problem was in missing free_netdev() in mkiss_close(). In mkiss_open() netdevice is allocated and then registered, but in mkiss_close() netdevice was only unregistered, but not freed. Fail log: BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8880281ba000 (size 4096): comm "syz-executor.1", pid 11443, jiffies 4295046091 (age 17.660s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 61 78 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ax0............. 00 27 fa 2a 80 88 ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .'.*............ backtrace: [<ffffffff81a27201>] kvmalloc_node+0x61/0xf0 [<ffffffff8706e7e8>] alloc_netdev_mqs+0x98/0xe80 [<ffffffff84e64192>] mkiss_open+0xb2/0x6f0 [1] [<ffffffff842355db>] tty_ldisc_open+0x9b/0x110 [<ffffffff84236488>] tty_set_ldisc+0x2e8/0x670 [<ffffffff8421f7f3>] tty_ioctl+0xda3/0x1440 [<ffffffff81c9f273>] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x193/0x200 [<ffffffff8911263a>] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0xb0 [<ffffffff89200068>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8880141a9a00 (size 96): comm "syz-executor.1", pid 11443, jiffies 4295046091 (age 17.660s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): e8 a2 1b 28 80 88 ff ff e8 a2 1b 28 80 88 ff ff ...(.......(.... 98 92 9c aa b0 40 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .....@.......... backtrace: [<ffffffff8709f68b>] __hw_addr_create_ex+0x5b/0x310 [<ffffffff8709fb38>] __hw_addr_add_ex+0x1f8/0x2b0 [<ffffffff870a0c7b>] dev_addr_init+0x10b/0x1f0 [<ffffffff8706e88b>] alloc_netdev_mqs+0x13b/0xe80 [<ffffffff84e64192>] mkiss_open+0xb2/0x6f0 [1] [<ffffffff842355db>] tty_ldisc_open+0x9b/0x110 [<ffffffff84236488>] tty_set_ldisc+0x2e8/0x670 [<ffffffff8421f7f3>] tty_ioctl+0xda3/0x1440 [<ffffffff81c9f273>] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x193/0x200 [<ffffffff8911263a>] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0xb0 [<ffffffff89200068>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff8880219bfc00 (size 512): comm "syz-executor.1", pid 11443, jiffies 4295046091 (age 17.660s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 a0 1b 28 80 88 ff ff 80 8f b1 8d ff ff ff ff ...(............ 80 8f b1 8d ff ff ff ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff81a27201>] kvmalloc_node+0x61/0xf0 [<ffffffff8706eec7>] alloc_netdev_mqs+0x777/0xe80 [<ffffffff84e64192>] mkiss_open+0xb2/0x6f0 [1] [<ffffffff842355db>] tty_ldisc_open+0x9b/0x110 [<ffffffff84236488>] tty_set_ldisc+0x2e8/0x670 [<ffffffff8421f7f3>] tty_ioctl+0xda3/0x1440 [<ffffffff81c9f273>] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x193/0x200 [<ffffffff8911263a>] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0xb0 [<ffffffff89200068>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae BUG: memory leak unreferenced object 0xffff888029b2b200 (size 256): comm "syz-executor.1", pid 11443, jiffies 4295046091 (age 17.660s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: [<ffffffff81a27201>] kvmalloc_node+0x61/0xf0 [<ffffffff8706f062>] alloc_netdev_mqs+0x912/0xe80 [<ffffffff84e64192>] mkiss_open+0xb2/0x6f0 [1] [<ffffffff842355db>] tty_ldisc_open+0x9b/0x110 [<ffffffff84236488>] tty_set_ldisc+0x2e8/0x670 [<ffffffff8421f7f3>] tty_ioctl+0xda3/0x1440 [<ffffffff81c9f273>] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x193/0x200 [<ffffffff8911263a>] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0xb0 [<ffffffff89200068>] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae

At a glance

Exploitability

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

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

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

Timeline

1. 2024-05-21 15:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 04:16 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2024-05-21 15:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 04:16 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-401

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 4.4.274
• Linux Kernel < 4.9.274
• Linux Kernel < 4.14.238
• Linux Kernel < 4.19.196
• Linux Kernel < 5.4.128
• Linux Kernel < 5.10.46
• Linux Kernel < 5.12.13
• Linux Kernel 5.13

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.5

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

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-2021-47237.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2021-47237. 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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