CVE-2021-47577

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.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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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

  1. Jun 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.13
  2. Affected versionversion=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <4b4e5bbf9386d4ec21d91c0cb0fd60b9bba778ec
  3. Affected versionversion=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <71a85387546e50b1a37b0fa45dadcae3bfb35cf6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.13; version=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <4b4e5bbf9386d4ec21d91c0cb0fd60b9bba778ec; version=685fe7feedb96771683437107ba72131410e2350 <71a85387546e50b1a37b0fa45dadcae3bfb35cf6

Published CVSS scores

4.7NIST NVDCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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