CVE-2021-38207Network attack vector

Remote service crash via TX descriptor overwrite

Published Aug 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

A buffer overflow in the Xilinx LL TEMAC driver in Linux kernel before 5.12.13 allows remote attackers to crash systems with heavy traffic. During temac_start_xmit, the second availability check reserves num_frag descriptors instead of the num_frag + 1 descriptors later consumed. Sustained traffic can overwrite the TX descriptor ring and lock the TEMAC interface; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability3.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

A buffer overflow in the Xilinx LL TEMAC driver in Linux kernel before 5.12.13 allows remote attackers to crash systems with heavy traffic. During temac_start_xmit, the second availability check reserves num_frag descriptors instead of the num_frag + 1 descriptors later consumed. Sustained traffic can overwrite the TX descriptor ring and lock the TEMAC interface; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38207
Published
Aug 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-120, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo