CVE-2021-47438 (GCVE-0-2021-47438)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2024-05-22 06:19 – Updated: 2026-08-05 08:47
VLAI
Title
net/mlx5e: Fix memory leak in mlx5_core_destroy_cq() error path
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Fix memory leak in mlx5_core_destroy_cq() error path Prior to this patch in case mlx5_core_destroy_cq() failed it returns without completing all destroy operations and that leads to memory leak. Instead, complete the destroy flow before return error. Also move mlx5_debug_cq_remove() to the beginning of mlx5_core_destroy_cq() to be symmetrical with mlx5_core_create_cq(). kmemleak complains on: unreferenced object 0xc000000038625100 (size 64): comm "ethtool", pid 28301, jiffies 4298062946 (age 785.380s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 60 01 48 94 00 00 00 c0 b8 05 34 c3 00 00 00 c0 `.H.......4..... 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 db 7d c1 00 00 00 c0 ..........}..... backtrace: [<000000009e8643cb>] add_res_tree+0xd0/0x270 [mlx5_core] [<00000000e7cb8e6c>] mlx5_debug_cq_add+0x5c/0xc0 [mlx5_core] [<000000002a12918f>] mlx5_core_create_cq+0x1d0/0x2d0 [mlx5_core] [<00000000cef0a696>] mlx5e_create_cq+0x210/0x3f0 [mlx5_core] [<000000009c642c26>] mlx5e_open_cq+0xb4/0x130 [mlx5_core] [<0000000058dfa578>] mlx5e_ptp_open+0x7f4/0xe10 [mlx5_core] [<0000000081839561>] mlx5e_open_channels+0x9cc/0x13e0 [mlx5_core] [<0000000009cf05d4>] mlx5e_switch_priv_channels+0xa4/0x230 [mlx5_core] [<0000000042bbedd8>] mlx5e_safe_switch_params+0x14c/0x300 [mlx5_core] [<0000000004bc9db8>] set_pflag_tx_port_ts+0x9c/0x160 [mlx5_core] [<00000000a0553443>] mlx5e_set_priv_flags+0xd0/0x1b0 [mlx5_core] [<00000000a8f3d84b>] ethnl_set_privflags+0x234/0x2d0 [<00000000fd27f27c>] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x108/0x1d0 [<00000000f495e2bb>] genl_family_rcv_msg+0xe4/0x1f0 [<00000000646c5c2c>] genl_rcv_msg+0x78/0x120 [<00000000d53e384e>] netlink_rcv_skb+0x74/0x1a0
Severity
7.1 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
SSVC
Exploitation: none Automatable: no Technical Impact: partial
CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)
Decision recorded 2024-06-17 18:03 UTC
Assigner
Linux CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard D 53/100 over 6642 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
Linux Linux Affected: e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c , < 4f7bddf8c5c01cac74373443b13a68e1c6723a94 (git)
Affected: e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c , < ed8aafea4fec9c654e63445236e0b505e27ed3a7 (git)
Affected: e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c , < 94b960b9deffc02fc0747afc01f72cc62ab099e3 (git)
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Linux Linux Affected: 3.11
Unaffected: 0 , < 3.11 (semver)
Unaffected: 5.10.75 , ≤ 5.10.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.14.14 , ≤ 5.14.* (semver)
Unaffected: 5.15 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)
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            "value": "En el kernel de Linux, se resolvi\u00f3 la siguiente vulnerabilidad: net/mlx5e: corrige la p\u00e9rdida de memoria en la ruta de error mlx5_core_destroy_cq(). Antes de este parche, en caso de que mlx5_core_destroy_cq() fallara, regresa sin completar todas las operaciones de destrucci\u00f3n y eso conduce a una p\u00e9rdida de memoria. En su lugar, complete el flujo de destrucci\u00f3n antes de que se produzca el error de devoluci\u00f3n. Tambi\u00e9n mueva mlx5_debug_cq_remove() al principio de mlx5_core_destroy_cq() para que sea sim\u00e9trico con mlx5_core_create_cq(). kmemleak se queja de: objeto sin referencia 0xc000000038625100 (tama\u00f1o 64): comm \"ethtool\", pid 28301, jiffies 4298062946 (edad 785.380 s) volcado hexadecimal (primeros 32 bytes): 60 01 48 94 00 00 00 c0 b8 05 34 3 00 00 00 c0 `.H.......4..... 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 db 7d c1 00 00 00 c0 ..........}..... rastreo hacia atr\u00e1s : [\u0026lt;000000009e8643cb\u0026gt;] add_res_tree+0xd0/0x270 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;00000000e7cb8e6c\u0026gt;] mlx5_debug_cq_add+0x5c/0xc0 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;000000002a12918f\u0026gt;] 0x1d0/0x2d0 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;00000000cef0a696\u0026gt;] mlx5e_create_cq+0x210/0x3f0 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;000000009c642c26\u0026gt;] mlx5e_open_cq+0xb4/0x130 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;0000000058dfa578\u0026gt;] mlx5e_ptp_open+0x7f4/0xe10 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;0000000081839561\u0026gt;] 5e_open_channels+0x9cc/0x13e0 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;0000000009cf05d4\u0026gt;] mlx5e_switch_priv_channels+0xa4 /0x230 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;0000000042bbedd8\u0026gt;] mlx5e_safe_switch_params+0x14c/0x300 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;0000000004bc9db8\u0026gt;] set_pflag_tx_port_ts+0x9c/0x160 [mlx5_core [\u0026lt;00000000a] 0553443\u0026gt;] mlx5e_set_priv_flags+0xd0/0x1b0 [mlx5_core] [\u0026lt;00000000a8f3d84b\u0026gt;] etnl_set_privflags +0x234/0x2d0 [\u0026lt;00000000fd27f27c\u0026gt;] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x108/0x1d0 [\u0026lt;00000000f495e2bb\u0026gt;] genl_family_rcv_msg+0xe4/0x1f0 [\u0026lt;00000000646c5c2c\u0026gt;] v_msg+0x78/0x120 [\u0026lt;00000000d53e384e\u0026gt;] netlink_rcv_skb+0x74/0x1a0"
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2021-47438",
        "lastModified": "2026-08-04T10:17:03.297",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 7.1,
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                "integrityImpact": "NONE",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
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              "exploitabilityScore": 1.8,
              "impactScore": 5.2,
              "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
              "type": "Secondary"
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                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 5.5,
                "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
                "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
                "integrityImpact": "NONE",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.8,
              "impactScore": 3.6,
              "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
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          "ssvcV203": [
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                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2024-06-17T18:03:33.416738Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
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        "published": "2024-05-22T07:15:09.080",
        "references": [
          {
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            "tags": [
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          {
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            "tags": [
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            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed8aafea4fec9c654e63445236e0b505e27ed3a7"
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          {
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            "tags": [
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            ],
            "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed8aafea4fec9c654e63445236e0b505e27ed3a7"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "vulnStatus": "Modified",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-401"
              }
            ],
            "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Low",
      "current_release_date": "2026-11-06T12:10:53+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2021-47438",
      "id": "CVE-2021-47438",
      "initial_release_date": "2021-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "199",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: net/mlx5e: Fix memory leak in mlx5_core_destroy_cq() error path",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2021/cve-2021-47438.json",
      "version": "3"
    },
    "vulnrichment": {
      "containers": {
        "adp": [
          {
            "providerMetadata": {
              "dateUpdated": "2024-08-04T05:39:59.306Z",
              "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
              "shortName": "CVE"
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            "references": [
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                  "x_transferred"
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                "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f7bddf8c5c01cac74373443b13a68e1c6723a94"
              },
              {
                "tags": [
                  "x_transferred"
                ],
                "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed8aafea4fec9c654e63445236e0b505e27ed3a7"
              },
              {
                "tags": [
                  "x_transferred"
                ],
                "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94b960b9deffc02fc0747afc01f72cc62ab099e3"
              }
            ],
            "title": "CVE Program Container"
          },
          {
            "metrics": [
              {
                "other": {
                  "content": {
                    "id": "CVE-2021-47438",
                    "options": [
                      {
                        "Exploitation": "none"
                      },
                      {
                        "Automatable": "no"
                      },
                      {
                        "Technical Impact": "partial"
                      }
                    ],
                    "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                    "timestamp": "2024-06-17T18:03:33.416738Z",
                    "version": "2.0.3"
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                  "type": "ssvc"
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              }
            ],
            "providerMetadata": {
              "dateUpdated": "2024-06-17T18:03:34.430Z",
              "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
              "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
            },
            "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
          }
        ],
        "cna": {
          "affected": [
            {
              "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
              "product": "Linux",
              "programFiles": [
                "drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/cq.c"
              ],
              "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
              "vendor": "Linux",
              "versions": [
                {
                  "lessThan": "4f7bddf8c5c01cac74373443b13a68e1c6723a94",
                  "status": "affected",
                  "version": "e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c",
                  "versionType": "git"
                },
                {
                  "lessThan": "ed8aafea4fec9c654e63445236e0b505e27ed3a7",
                  "status": "affected",
                  "version": "e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c",
                  "versionType": "git"
                },
                {
                  "lessThan": "94b960b9deffc02fc0747afc01f72cc62ab099e3",
                  "status": "affected",
                  "version": "e126ba97dba9edeb6fafa3665b5f8497fc9cdf8c",
                  "versionType": "git"
                }
              ]
            },
            {
              "defaultStatus": "affected",
              "product": "Linux",
              "programFiles": [
                "drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/cq.c"
              ],
              "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
              "vendor": "Linux",
              "versions": [
                {
                  "status": "affected",
                  "version": "3.11"
                },
                {
                  "lessThan": "3.11",
                  "status": "unaffected",
                  "version": "0",
                  "versionType": "semver"
                },
                {
                  "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*",
                  "status": "unaffected",
                  "version": "5.10.75",
                  "versionType": "semver"
                },
                {
                  "lessThanOrEqual": "5.14.*",
                  "status": "unaffected",
                  "version": "5.14.14",
                  "versionType": "semver"
                },
                {
                  "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                  "status": "unaffected",
                  "version": "5.15",
                  "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "cpeApplicability": [
            {
              "nodes": [
                {
                  "cpeMatch": [
                    {
                      "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                      "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.75",
                      "versionStartIncluding": "3.11",
                      "vulnerable": true
                    },
                    {
                      "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                      "versionEndExcluding": "5.14.14",
                      "versionStartIncluding": "3.11",
                      "vulnerable": true
                    },
                    {
                      "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                      "versionEndExcluding": "5.15",
                      "versionStartIncluding": "3.11",
                      "vulnerable": true
                    }
                  ],
                  "negate": false,
                  "operator": "OR"
                }
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          ],
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet/mlx5e: Fix memory leak in mlx5_core_destroy_cq() error path\n\nPrior to this patch in case mlx5_core_destroy_cq() failed it returns\nwithout completing all destroy operations and that leads to memory leak.\nInstead, complete the destroy flow before return error.\n\nAlso move mlx5_debug_cq_remove() to the beginning of mlx5_core_destroy_cq()\nto be symmetrical with mlx5_core_create_cq().\n\nkmemleak complains on:\n\nunreferenced object 0xc000000038625100 (size 64):\n  comm \"ethtool\", pid 28301, jiffies 4298062946 (age 785.380s)\n  hex dump (first 32 bytes):\n    60 01 48 94 00 00 00 c0 b8 05 34 c3 00 00 00 c0  `.H.......4.....\n    02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 db 7d c1 00 00 00 c0  ..........}.....\n  backtrace:\n    [\u003c000000009e8643cb\u003e] add_res_tree+0xd0/0x270 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c00000000e7cb8e6c\u003e] mlx5_debug_cq_add+0x5c/0xc0 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c000000002a12918f\u003e] mlx5_core_create_cq+0x1d0/0x2d0 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c00000000cef0a696\u003e] mlx5e_create_cq+0x210/0x3f0 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c000000009c642c26\u003e] mlx5e_open_cq+0xb4/0x130 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c0000000058dfa578\u003e] mlx5e_ptp_open+0x7f4/0xe10 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c0000000081839561\u003e] mlx5e_open_channels+0x9cc/0x13e0 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c0000000009cf05d4\u003e] mlx5e_switch_priv_channels+0xa4/0x230\n[mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c0000000042bbedd8\u003e] mlx5e_safe_switch_params+0x14c/0x300\n[mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c0000000004bc9db8\u003e] set_pflag_tx_port_ts+0x9c/0x160 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c00000000a0553443\u003e] mlx5e_set_priv_flags+0xd0/0x1b0 [mlx5_core]\n    [\u003c00000000a8f3d84b\u003e] ethnl_set_privflags+0x234/0x2d0\n    [\u003c00000000fd27f27c\u003e] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x108/0x1d0\n    [\u003c00000000f495e2bb\u003e] genl_family_rcv_msg+0xe4/0x1f0\n    [\u003c00000000646c5c2c\u003e] genl_rcv_msg+0x78/0x120\n    [\u003c00000000d53e384e\u003e] netlink_rcv_skb+0x74/0x1a0"
            }
          ],
          "metrics": [
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                "baseScore": 7.1,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "scenarios": [
                {
                  "lang": "en",
                  "value": "AV:L - Reachable only via local interfaces (ethtool/netlink PRIVFLAGS_SET or RDMA uverbs/DEVX CQ destroy on mlx5), not by processing remote network packets.\nAC:L - A local actor who can drive CQ destroy (ethtool priv-flag/channel reconfiguration or IB CQ destroy) can exercise the vulnerable path; no special race or non-attacker-controlled layout is required beyond inducing the destroy error path.\nPR:L - ETHTOOL_MSG_PRIVFLAGS_SET uses GENL_UNS_ADMIN_PERM (CAP_NET_ADMIN in the local user namespace), and mlx5 IB uverbs nodes are mode 0666, so an unprivileged local user can reach CQ destroy without real init-namespace root.\nUI:N - Exploitation requires only attacker-controlled local syscalls/netlink or uverbs operations; no victim action is needed.\nS:U - Impact stays within the host kernel authority (memory leak / UAF); it does not cross VM, IOMMU, or other security boundaries.\nC:H - On the failing destroy path, debugfs CQ entries are left registered while mlx5e frees the CQ object, so subsequent debugfs reads use a dangling pointer (UAF) and can disclose freed kernel memory.\nI:N - The bug is an incomplete teardown/memory leak with a read-only debugfs UAF; there is no demonstrated attacker write or control-flow corruption primitive in this path.\nA:H - The dangling CQ debugfs UAF can oops the kernel on access, and repeated failed destroys leak kernel allocations, so availability impact is high."
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "providerMetadata": {
            "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T08:47:48.724Z",
            "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
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              "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94b960b9deffc02fc0747afc01f72cc62ab099e3"
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          "title": "net/mlx5e: Fix memory leak in mlx5_core_destroy_cq() error path",
          "x_generator": {
            "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
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      "cveMetadata": {
        "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "assignerShortName": "Linux",
        "cveId": "CVE-2021-47438",
        "datePublished": "2024-05-22T06:19:33.537Z",
        "dateReserved": "2024-05-21T14:58:30.831Z",
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T08:47:48.724Z",
        "state": "PUBLISHED"
      },
      "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
      "dataVersion": "5.2"
    }
  }
}



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