Kernel memory corruption via asynchronous timer deletion
Published May 21, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Use-after-free in the mISDN HFC PCI driver in Linux allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during device removal. HFC_cleanup() calls del_timer(), which can return while its timer handler is still running and let that handler access driver state after removal frees it. Reaching the race requires the HFC PCI driver and device-removal path; successful exploitation can alter kernel memory or crash the system.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the mISDN HFC PCI driver in Linux allows local users to corrupt kernel memory during device removal. HFC_cleanup() calls del_timer(), which can return while its timer handler is still running and let that handler access driver state after removal frees it. Reaching the race requires the HFC PCI driver and device-removal path; successful exploitation can alter kernel memory or crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47356
- Published
- May 21, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.29
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <009fc857c5f6fda81f2f7dd851b2d54193a8e733
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <3ecd228c636ee17c14662729737fa07242a93cb0
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <49331c07ef0f8fdfa42b30ba6a83a657b29d7fbe
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <54ff3202928952a100c477248e65ac6db01258a7
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <5f2818185da0fe82a932f0856633038b66faf124
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <61370ff07e0acc657559a8fac02551dfeb9d3020
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <7867ddc5f3de7f289aee63233afc0df4b62834c5
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <b7ee9ae1e0cf55a037c4a99af2acc5d78cb7802d
- Affected versionversion=87c5fa1bb42624254a2013cbbc3b170d6017f5d6 <ed7c3739d0a07e2ec3ccbffe7e93cea01c438cda
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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