Kernel memory corruption via mismatched debugfs buffer length
Published May 22, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
Out-of-bounds writes in the Linux kernel allow local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted AMD GPU debugfs control input. Nine write handlers in amdgpu_dm_debugfs.c pass the user-supplied byte count rather than the allocated buffer size to parse_write_buffer_into_params, allowing the parser to write beyond the heap buffer. Reachability requires local access to writable AMD GPU debugfs controls, which are root-only by default; a successful write compromises kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds writes in the Linux kernel allow local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted AMD GPU debugfs control input. Nine write handlers in amdgpu_dm_debugfs.c pass the user-supplied byte count rather than the allocated buffer size to parse_write_buffer_into_params, allowing the parser to write beyond the heap buffer. Reachability requires local access to writable AMD GPU debugfs controls, which are root-only by default; a successful write compromises kernel confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47489
- Published
- May 22, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 22, 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=5.10
- Affected versionversion=918698d5c2b50433714d2042f55b55b090faa167 <1336b886b162fdc84708096ea152a61c0e1fc09c
- Affected versionversion=918698d5c2b50433714d2042f55b55b090faa167 <3f4e54bd312d3dafb59daf2b97ffa08abebe60f5
- Affected versionversion=918698d5c2b50433714d2042f55b55b090faa167 <9eb4bdd554fc31a5ef6bf645a20ff21618ce45a9
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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