CVE-2021-47234

Service interruption via leaked PHY clock resources

Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

Resource leak in the Linux kernel MediaTek T-PHY driver allows local users to interrupt service through failed PHY initialization. The mtk_phy_init error path enables the PHY reference clock but returns without calling clk_disable_unprepare when initialization fails, leaving the clock resource enabled. Reachability requires local low-privileged access, compatible MediaTek hardware, and a T-PHY configuration that enters the failing initialization path; repeated failures exhaust resources and interrupt service.

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

Resource leak in the Linux kernel MediaTek T-PHY driver allows local users to interrupt service through failed PHY initialization. The mtk_phy_init error path enables the PHY reference clock but returns without calling clk_disable_unprepare when initialization fails, leaving the clock resource enabled. Reachability requires local low-privileged access, compatible MediaTek hardware, and a T-PHY configuration that enters the failing initialization path; repeated failures exhaust resources and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-47234
Published
May 21, 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. May 21, 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=4.14
  2. Affected versionversion=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <6472955af5e88b5489b6d78316082ad56ea3e489
  3. Affected versionversion=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <9a17907946232d01aa2ec109da5f93b8d31dd425
  4. Affected versionversion=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <aaac9a1bd370338ce372669eb9a6059d16b929aa

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.14; version=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <6472955af5e88b5489b6d78316082ad56ea3e489; version=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <9a17907946232d01aa2ec109da5f93b8d31dd425; version=44a6d6ce6436a2b827c93ac59a6187af0c381a48 <aaac9a1bd370338ce372669eb9a6059d16b929aa

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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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

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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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