CVE-2021-46920

Error-state corruption via stale SWERR acknowledgement

Published Feb 27, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper register handling in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to corrupt Intel idxd error state during an interrupt. The process_misc_interrupts function writes the full IDXD_SWERR_ACK mask instead of masking it with the SWERR bits already read, clearing an OVERFLOW bit set by a later error. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, Intel idxd hardware, and a second device error during the interrupt-handler race; the bounded consequence is loss of the overflow indication.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper register handling in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to corrupt Intel idxd error state during an interrupt. The process_misc_interrupts function writes the full IDXD_SWERR_ACK mask instead of masking it with the SWERR bits already read, clearing an OVERFLOW bit set by a later error. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, Intel idxd hardware, and a second device error during the interrupt-handler race; the bounded consequence is loss of the overflow indication.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-46920
Published
Feb 27, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=5.6
  2. Affected versionversion=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <02981a44a0e402089775416371bd2e0c935685f8
  3. Affected versionversion=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <a5ad12d5d69c63af289a37f05187a0c6fe93553d
  4. Affected versionversion=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <ea941ac294d75d0ace50797aebf0056f6f8f7a7f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.6; version=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <02981a44a0e402089775416371bd2e0c935685f8; version=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <a5ad12d5d69c63af289a37f05187a0c6fe93553d; version=bfe1d56091c1a404b3d4ce7e9809d745fc4453bb <ea941ac294d75d0ace50797aebf0056f6f8f7a7f

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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

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Your stack

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