CVE-2021-47555

net: vlan: fix underflow for the real_dev refcnt

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 24, 2024 at 03:09 PM UTC
Updated: August 4, 2026 at 04:06 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

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.

Affected

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

v ≥ 5.14.195.10.80 ≤ v < 5.10.835.14.19 ≤ v < 5.155.15.3 ≤ v < 5.15.65.4.160 ≤ v < 5.4.16321032425c36ff85f16e72ca92193a8c401e4acd55.10.805.14.195.15.35.16 rc15.16 rc25.4.160563bcbae3ba233c275c244bfce2efe12938f5363700602b662d7eaa816b1a3cb0abe7a85de358fd4e04a7a84bb77f9cdf4475340fe931389bc72331cfca96b3f852a1b369b7b2844ce357cd689879934
Vendor states this is fixed in 01d9cc2dea3fde3bad6d27f464eff463496e2b00 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5e44178864b38dd70b877985abd7d86fdb95f27d (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6e800ee43218a56acc93676bbb3d93b74779e555 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in f7fc72a508cf115c273a7a29350069def1041890 (fixed)
Affected range stops below 5.10.83, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.15, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.15.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 5.4.163, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

References (4)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01d9cc2dea3fde3bad6d27f464eff463496e2b00
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5e44178864b38dd70b877985abd7d86fdb95f27d
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e800ee43218a56acc93676bbb3d93b74779e555
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f7fc72a508cf115c273a7a29350069def1041890

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

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

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-191

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