CVE-2021-47436

Local kernel crash via stale platform device

Published May 22, 2024 · Updated May 23, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel MUSB DSPS driver allows local users to crash affected systems during USB device probing. The dsps probe error path leaves a platform device registered when optional VBUS IRQ setup returns -EPROBE_DEFER, allowing later USB gadget use to dereference a NULL pointer. Triggering the crash requires the affected MUSB DSPS driver, a deferred probe, and compatible USB hardware; the documented result is a boot-phase kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel MUSB DSPS driver allows local users to crash affected systems during USB device probing. The dsps probe error path leaves a platform device registered when optional VBUS IRQ setup returns -EPROBE_DEFER, allowing later USB gadget use to dereference a NULL pointer. Triggering the crash requires the affected MUSB DSPS driver, a deferred probe, and compatible USB hardware; the documented result is a boot-phase kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-47436
Published
May 22, 2024
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 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=4.14.247 <4.14.252
  2. Affected versionversion=4.19.207 <4.19.213
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.67 <5.10.75
  4. Affected versionversion=5.13.19 <5.14
  5. Affected versionversion=5.14.6 <5.14.14
  6. Affected versionversion=5269937d1483d3159d5b51907346e4f4b13ef079 <5ed60a430fb5f3d93e7fef66264daef466b4d10c
  7. Affected versionversion=5.4.148 <5.4.155
  8. Affected versionversion=72bb3eafcfdd156713a3ea0c9c95d536bd6e6e55 <ff9249aab39820be11b6975a10d94253b7d426fc
  9. Affected versionversion=7c75bde329d7e2a93cf86a5c15c61f96f1446cdc <c2115b2b16421d93d4993f3fe4c520e91d6fe801
  10. Affected versionversion=8de01a896c1bc14b6b65b8d26013626597a45eda <9d89e287116796bf987cc48f5c8632ef3048f8eb
  11. Affected versionversion=9a4a6805294fa7d2653e82972bdaf9e3e1f3d3c9 <9ab5d539bc975b8dcde86eca1b58d836b657732e
  12. Affected versionversion=f5b4df24b4209cc3b9ccc768897415be18807e46
  13. Affected versionversion=ffc825049ed2e8c849d318e987fd5073e0be462f <e923bce31ffefe4f60edfc6b84f62d4a858f3676

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.14.247 <4.14.252; version=4.19.207 <4.19.213; version=5.10.67 <5.10.75; version=5.13.19 <5.14; version=5.14.6 <5.14.14; version=5269937d1483d3159d5b51907346e4f4b13ef079 <5ed60a430fb5f3d93e7fef66264daef466b4d10c; version=5.4.148 <5.4.155; version=72bb3eafcfdd156713a3ea0c9c95d536bd6e6e55 <ff9249aab39820be11b6975a10d94253b7d426fc; version=7c75bde329d7e2a93cf86a5c15c61f96f1446cdc <c2115b2b16421d93d4993f3fe4c520e91d6fe801; version=8de01a896c1bc14b6b65b8d26013626597a45eda <9d89e287116796bf987cc48f5c8632ef3048f8eb; version=9a4a6805294fa7d2653e82972bdaf9e3e1f3d3c9 <9ab5d539bc975b8dcde86eca1b58d836b657732e; version=f5b4df24b4209cc3b9ccc768897415be18807e46; version=ffc825049ed2e8c849d318e987fd5073e0be462f <e923bce31ffefe4f60edfc6b84f62d4a858f3676

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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

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Your stack

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