CVE-2021-46936

net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: February 27, 2024 at 09:44 AM UTC
Updated: August 5, 2026 at 09:24 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler A real world panic issue was found as follow in Linux 5.4. BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffde49a863de28 PGD 7e6fe62067 P4D 7e6fe62067 PUD 7e6fe63067 PMD f51e064067 PTE 0 RIP: 0010:tw_timer_handler+0x20/0x40 Call Trace: <IRQ> call_timer_fn+0x2b/0x120 run_timer_softirq+0x1ef/0x450 __do_softirq+0x10d/0x2b8 irq_exit+0xc7/0xd0 smp_apic_timer_interrupt+0x68/0x120 apic_timer_interrupt+0xf/0x20 This issue was also reported since 2017 in the thread [1], unfortunately, the issue was still can be reproduced after fixing DCCP. The ipv4_mib_exit_net is called before tcp_sk_exit_batch when a net namespace is destroyed since tcp_sk_ops is registered befrore ipv4_mib_ops, which means tcp_sk_ops is in the front of ipv4_mib_ops in the list of pernet_list. There will be a use-after-free on net->mib.net_statistics in tw_timer_handler after ipv4_mib_exit_net if there are some inflight time-wait timers. This bug is not introduced by commit f2bf415cfed7 ("mib: add net to NET_ADD_STATS_BH") since the net_statistics is a global variable instead of dynamic allocation and freeing. Actually, commit 61a7e26028b9 ("mib: put net statistics on struct net") introduces the bug since it put net statistics on struct net and free it when net namespace is destroyed. Moving init_ipv4_mibs() to the front of tcp_init() to fix this bug and replace pr_crit() with panic() since continuing is meaningless when init_ipv4_mibs() fails. [1] https://groups.google.com/g/syzkaller/c/p1tn-_Kc6l4/m/smuL_FMAAgAJ?pli=1

Affected

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

2.6.27 ≤ v < 4.14.2612.6.27 ≤ v < 4.19.2242.6.27 ≤ v < 4.4.2982.6.27 ≤ v < 4.9.2962.6.27 ≤ v < 5.10.902.6.27 ≤ v < 5.15.132.6.27 ≤ v < 5.162.6.27 ≤ v < 5.4.1704.10.0 ≤ v < 4.14.2614.15.0 ≤ v < 4.19.2244.20.0 ≤ v < 5.4.1704.5.0 ≤ v < 4.9.2965.11.0 ≤ v < 5.15.135.5.0 ≤ v < 5.10.902.6.2761a7e26028b94805fd686a6dc9dbd9941f8f19b0
Vendor states this is fixed in 08eacbd141e2495d2fcdde84358a06c4f95cbb13 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 15579e1301f856ad9385d720c9267c11032a5022 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2386e81a1d277f540e1285565c9d41d531bb69d4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5c2fe20ad37ff56070ae0acb34152333976929b4 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a8e1944b44f94f5c5f530e434c5eaee787254566 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e22e45fc9e41bf9fcc1e92cfb78eb92786728ef0 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e73164e89d1be561228a4534e1091369ee4ba41a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in fe5838c22b986c1190f1dce9aa09bf6a491c1a69 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 2.6.27 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.14.261 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.224 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.4.298 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.9.296 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.90 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.170 (unaffected)

References (8)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08eacbd141e2495d2fcdde84358a06c4f95cbb13
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/15579e1301f856ad9385d720c9267c11032a5022
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2386e81a1d277f540e1285565c9d41d531bb69d4
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c2fe20ad37ff56070ae0acb34152333976929b4
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8e1944b44f94f5c5f530e434c5eaee787254566
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e22e45fc9e41bf9fcc1e92cfb78eb92786728ef0
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e73164e89d1be561228a4534e1091369ee4ba41a
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe5838c22b986c1190f1dce9aa09bf6a491c1a69

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

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

CVSS

7.8HIGHLinux
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-416

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