CVE-2021-28715

MEDIUM
6.5
CVSS Score
Published: January 6, 2022 at 05:06 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:46 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

Using Linux by Linux?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect Linux - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available
Severity
MEDIUM6.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.4%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

Guest can force Linux netback driver to hog large amounts of kernel memory T[his CNA information record relates to multiple CVEs; the text explains which aspects/vulnerabilities correspond to which CVE.] Incoming data packets for a guest in the Linux kernel's netback driver are buffered until the guest is ready to process them. There are some measures taken for avoiding to pile up too much data, but those can be bypassed by the guest: There is a timeout how long the client side of an interface can stop consuming new packets before it is assumed to have stalled, but this timeout is rather long (60 seconds by default). Using a UDP connection on a fast interface can easily accumulate gigabytes of data in that time. (CVE-2021-28715) The timeout could even never trigger if the guest manages to have only one free slot in its RX queue ring page and the next package would require more than one free slot, which may be the case when using GSO, XDP, or software hashing. (CVE-2021-28714)

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 5.15.0
Affected range stops below 5.15.0, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in consult Xen advisory XSA-392 (unknown)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (5)

Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00011.html
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00012.html
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5050
Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5096

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

6.5MEDIUMCISA-ADP
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-770

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Free plan, no card