CVE-2021-46986

Kernel panic via premature gadget structure free

Published Feb 28, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in the DWC3 USB gadget driver in Linux 5.10, 5.11, and 5.12 allows local users to crash the kernel during teardown. dwc3_gadget_release() frees dwc->gadget before dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() removes endpoint list nodes, leaving dangling pointers for list_del(). Reaching the faulty path requires DWC3 gadget teardown during driver unbind or shutdown; the reported consequence is a kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
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 the DWC3 USB gadget driver in Linux 5.10, 5.11, and 5.12 allows local users to crash the kernel during teardown. dwc3_gadget_release() frees dwc->gadget before dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() removes endpoint list nodes, leaving dangling pointers for list_del(). Reaching the faulty path requires DWC3 gadget teardown during driver unbind or shutdown; the reported consequence is a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-46986
Published
Feb 28, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 28, 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

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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=5.10
  2. Affected versionversion=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <1ea775021282d90e1d08d696b7ab54aa75d688e5
  3. Affected versionversion=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <b4b8e9601d7ee8806d2687f081a42485d27674a1
  4. Affected versionversion=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <bb9c74a5bd1462499fe5ccb1e3c5ac40dcfa9139
  5. Affected versionversion=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <bc0cdd72493236fb72b390ad38ce581e353c143c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <1ea775021282d90e1d08d696b7ab54aa75d688e5; version=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <b4b8e9601d7ee8806d2687f081a42485d27674a1; version=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <bb9c74a5bd1462499fe5ccb1e3c5ac40dcfa9139; version=e81a7018d93a7de31a3f121c9a7eecd0a5ec58b0 <bc0cdd72493236fb72b390ad38ce581e353c143c

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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