CVE-2021-47556

ethtool: ioctl: fix potential NULL deref in ethtool_set_coalesce()

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 24, 2024 at 03:09 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:17 AM 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: ethtool: ioctl: fix potential NULL deref in ethtool_set_coalesce() ethtool_set_coalesce() now uses both the .get_coalesce() and .set_coalesce() callbacks. But the check for their availability is buggy, so changing the coalesce settings on a device where the driver provides only _one_ of the callbacks results in a NULL pointer dereference instead of an -EOPNOTSUPP. Fix the condition so that the availability of both callbacks is ensured. This also matches the netlink code. Note that reproducing this requires some effort - it only affects the legacy ioctl path, and needs a specific combination of driver options: - have .get_coalesce() and .coalesce_supported but no .set_coalesce(), or - have .set_coalesce() but no .get_coalesce(). Here eg. ethtool doesn't cause the crash as it first attempts to call ethtool_get_coalesce() and bails out on error.

Affected

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

5.15 ≤ v < 5.15.65.15 ≤ v < 5.165.15f3ccfda1931977b80267ba54070a1aeafa18f6ca
Vendor states this is fixed in 0276af2176c78771da7f311621a25d7608045827 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in abfdd9e2f0f9699015d72317f74154d3e53664e6 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.16 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

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

References (2)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0276af2176c78771da7f311621a25d7608045827
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/abfdd9e2f0f9699015d72317f74154d3e53664e6

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-476

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