CVE-2021-47565

Kernel panic via stale sas_target dereference

Published May 24, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel mpt3sas driver allows local users to crash the system during SAS drive removal. While the driver iterates the SCSI device list, concurrent drive removal can free sas_target while leaving sdev intact, after which sas_target->sas_address is dereferenced without a NULL check. Triggering the race requires an mpt3sas-managed SAS device and a drive power-cycle or removal event; success causes a kernel panic and service interruption.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel mpt3sas driver allows local users to crash the system during SAS drive removal. While the driver iterates the SCSI device list, concurrent drive removal can free sas_target while leaving sdev intact, after which sas_target->sas_address is dereferenced without a NULL check. Triggering the race requires an mpt3sas-managed SAS device and a drive power-cycle or removal event; success causes a kernel panic and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-47565
Published
May 24, 2024
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, CWE-416, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 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=3.8
  2. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <0d4b29eaadc1f59cec0c7e85eae77d08fcca9824
  3. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <0ee4ba13e09c9d9c1cb6abb59da8295d9952328b
  4. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <2bf9c5a5039c8f4b037236aed505e6a25c1d5f7b
  5. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <58ef2c7a6de13721865d84b80eecf56d6cba0937
  6. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <5d4d50b1f159a5ebab7617f47121b4370aa58afe
  7. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <7e324f734a914957b8cc3ff4b4c9f0409558adb5
  8. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <8485649a7655e791a6e4e9f15b4d30fdae937184
  9. Affected versionversion=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <dd035ca0e7a142870a970d46b1d19276cfe2bc8c

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.8; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <0d4b29eaadc1f59cec0c7e85eae77d08fcca9824; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <0ee4ba13e09c9d9c1cb6abb59da8295d9952328b; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <2bf9c5a5039c8f4b037236aed505e6a25c1d5f7b; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <58ef2c7a6de13721865d84b80eecf56d6cba0937; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <5d4d50b1f159a5ebab7617f47121b4370aa58afe; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <7e324f734a914957b8cc3ff4b4c9f0409558adb5; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <8485649a7655e791a6e4e9f15b4d30fdae937184; version=f92363d12359498f9a9960511de1a550f0ec41c2 <dd035ca0e7a142870a970d46b1d19276cfe2bc8c

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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
CWE-416Use After Free
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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