Kernel crash via unsynchronized i40e VSI teardown
Published Apr 10, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's i40e driver allows local users to crash the kernel during concurrent VSI teardown. The filter-sync worker can update a VSI filter list after teardown has removed the VSI, dereferencing invalid state and producing a kernel oops. Triggering requires local low-privileged access and an active i40e VSI undergoing filter synchronization while it is removed.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's i40e driver allows local users to crash the kernel during concurrent VSI teardown. The filter-sync worker can update a VSI filter list after teardown has removed the VSI, dereferencing invalid state and producing a kernel oops. Triggering requires local low-privileged access and an active i40e VSI undergoing filter synchronization while it is removed.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47184
- Published
- Apr 10, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=3.12
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <37d9e304acd903a445df8208b8a13d707902dea6
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <78f2a9e831f9610e3655a0be5e675e1aa2472089
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <87c421ab4a43433cb009fea44bbbc77f46913e1d
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <c30162da91327e4cdf7cd03079f096bb3654738c
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <e91e8427a1e1633a0261e3bb0201c836ac5b3890
- Affected versionversion=41c445ff0f482bb6e6b72dcee9e598e20575f743 <f866513ead4370402428ef724b03c3312295c178
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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Your stack
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