Kernel crash via null SuperSpeedPlus descriptor
Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel USB gadget core allows physically proximate attackers to crash affected devices. The usb_assign_descriptors function leaves the SuperSpeedPlus descriptor pointer NULL when a gadget driver supplies none, and later 10 Gbps enumeration dereferences it. Exploitation requires a gadget using the affected API at its default maximum speed and a 10 Gbps-capable device port, cable, and host port; the resulting kernel crash interrupts the device.
Summary
What happened
Null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel USB gadget core allows physically proximate attackers to crash affected devices. The usb_assign_descriptors function leaves the SuperSpeedPlus descriptor pointer NULL when a gadget driver supplies none, and later 10 Gbps enumeration dereferences it. Exploitation requires a gadget using the affected API at its default maximum speed and a 10 Gbps-capable device port, cable, and host port; the resulting kernel crash interrupts the device.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47267
- Published
- May 21, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499
- Attack vector
- physical
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <032e288097a553db5653af552dd8035cd2a0ba96
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <45f9a2fe737dc0a5df270787f2231aee8985cd59
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <5ef23506695b01d5d56a13a092a97f2478069d75
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <70cd19cb5bd94bbb5bacfc9c1e4ee0071699a604
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <b972eff874637402ddc4a7dd11fb22538a0b6d28
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <ca6bc277430d90375452b60b047763a090b7673e
- Affected versionversion=10287baec761d33f0a82d84b46e37a44030350d8 <fd24be23abf3e94260be0f00bb42c7e91d495f87
- Affected versionversion=3.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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