CVE-2021-46996

Service interruption via nftables object-name memory leak

Published Feb 28, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Resource leak in Linux allows local users to consume unrecoverable kernel memory through failed nftables object creation requests. The new-object path in net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c allocates the object name, then returns without freeing it when userdata allocation fails. The path requires local nftables object-creation privileges and a userdata allocation failure; confidentiality and integrity are unaffected.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
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

Resource leak in Linux allows local users to consume unrecoverable kernel memory through failed nftables object creation requests. The new-object path in net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c allocates the object name, then returns without freeing it when userdata allocation fails. The path requires local nftables object-creation privileges and a userdata allocation failure; confidentiality and integrity are unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-46996
Published
Feb 28, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
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

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=5.10
  2. Affected versionversion=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <2c784a500f5edd337258b0fdb2f31bc9abde1a23
  3. Affected versionversion=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <59fa98bfa1f4013d658d990cac88c87b46ff410c
  4. Affected versionversion=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <85dfd816fabfc16e71786eda0a33a7046688b5b0
  5. Affected versionversion=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <dd3bebf515f336214a91994348a2b86b9a1d3d7f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.10; version=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <2c784a500f5edd337258b0fdb2f31bc9abde1a23; version=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <59fa98bfa1f4013d658d990cac88c87b46ff410c; version=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <85dfd816fabfc16e71786eda0a33a7046688b5b0; version=b131c96496b369c7b14125e7c50e89ac7cec8051 <dd3bebf515f336214a91994348a2b86b9a1d3d7f

Published CVSS scores

4.1SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NVDCVSS: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

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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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