Local privilege escalation via io-wq exit race
Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.13 through 5.15.10 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through io_uring syscalls. During io-wq shutdown, worker-creation task_work can be queued after exit has canceled pending creations, leaving a freed io_worker reachable. An unprivileged local user can control both sides of the race by submitting asynchronous work while closing the ring, causing kernel memory corruption, privilege escalation, or a system crash or hang.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.13 through 5.15.10 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through io_uring syscalls. During io-wq shutdown, worker-creation task_work can be queued after exit has canceled pending creations, leaving a freed io_worker reachable. An unprivileged local user can control both sides of the race by submitting asynchronous work while closing the ring, causing kernel memory corruption, privilege escalation, or a system crash or hang.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47577
- Published
- Jun 19, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 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=5.13
- Affected versionversion=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <4b4e5bbf9386d4ec21d91c0cb0fd60b9bba778ec
- Affected versionversion=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <71a85387546e50b1a37b0fa45dadcae3bfb35cf6
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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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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