Kernel crash via unchecked allocation failure
Published Jun 19, 2024 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel AMD-TEE driver allows local users to crash the kernel during a Trusted Application load. In copy_ta_binary(), an IS_ERR check accepts the NULL result from __get_free_pages(), after which the copy path dereferences the failed allocation. Exploitation requires local access, AMD-TEE availability, a Trusted Application load, and an allocation failure; the bounded consequence is system unavailability.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel AMD-TEE driver allows local users to crash the kernel during a Trusted Application load. In copy_ta_binary(), an IS_ERR check accepts the NULL result from __get_free_pages(), after which the copy path dereferences the failed allocation. Exploitation requires local access, AMD-TEE availability, a Trusted Application load, and an allocation failure; the bounded consequence is system unavailability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-47601
- Published
- Jun 19, 2024
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 19, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=5.6
- Affected versionversion=757cc3e9ff1d72d014096399d6e2bf03974d9da1 <640e28d618e82be78fb43b4bf5113bc90d6aa442
- Affected versionversion=757cc3e9ff1d72d014096399d6e2bf03974d9da1 <832f3655c6138c23576ed268e31cc76e0f05f2b1
- Affected versionversion=757cc3e9ff1d72d014096399d6e2bf03974d9da1 <9d7482771fac8d8e38e763263f2ca0ca12dd22c6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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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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