CVE-2021-4150

Local system crash via failed partition cleanup

Published Mar 23, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in add_partition in Linux Kernel 5.15 rc7 allows local users to crash the system through a failed partition add. When device_add fails while adding a disk partition, add_partition omits cleanup needed to retire block-device state, leaving a freed object reachable. Local user privileges and a crafted program that manipulates disk-object reference counts are required; the supported consequence is a system crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in add_partition in Linux Kernel 5.15 rc7 allows local users to crash the system through a failed partition add. When device_add fails while adding a disk partition, add_partition omits cleanup needed to retire block-device state, leaving a freed object reachable. Local user privileges and a crafted program that manipulates disk-object reference counts are required; the supported consequence is a system crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-4150
Published
Mar 23, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 23, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=kernel 5.15 rc7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=kernel 5.15 rc7

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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