Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2021-47549
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sata_fsl: fix UAF in sata_fsl_port_stop when rmmod sata_fsl When the `rmmod sata_fsl.ko` command is executed in the PPC64 GNU/Linux, a bug is reported: ================================================================== BUG: Unable to handle kernel data access on read at 0x80000800805b502c Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] NIP [c0000000000388a4] .ioread32+0x4/0x20 LR [80000000000c6034] .sata_fsl_port_stop+0x44/0xe0 [sata_fsl] Call Trace: .free_irq+0x1c/0x4e0 (unreliable) .ata_host_stop+0x74/0xd0 [libata] .release_nodes+0x330/0x3f0 .device_release_driver_internal+0x178/0x2c0 .driver_detach+0x64/0xd0 .bus_remove_driver+0x70/0xf0 .driver_unregister+0x38/0x80 .platform_driver_unregister+0x14/0x30 .fsl_sata_driver_exit+0x18/0xa20 [sata_fsl] .__se_sys_delete_module+0x1ec/0x2d0 .system_call_exception+0xfc/0x1f0 system_call_common+0xf8/0x200 ================================================================== The triggering of the BUG is shown in the following stack: driver_detach device_release_driver_internal __device_release_driver drv->remove(dev) --> platform_drv_remove/platform_remove drv->remove(dev) --> sata_fsl_remove iounmap(host_priv->hcr_base); <---- unmap kfree(host_priv); <---- free devres_release_all release_nodes dr->node.release(dev, dr->data) --> ata_host_stop ap->ops->port_stop(ap) --> sata_fsl_port_stop ioread32(hcr_base + HCONTROL) <---- UAF host->ops->host_stop(host) The iounmap(host_priv->hcr_base) and kfree(host_priv) functions should not be executed in drv->remove. These functions should be executed in host_stop after port_stop. Therefore, we move these functions to the new function sata_fsl_host_stop and bind the new function to host_stop.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysisMemory is used after it has been freed, so its contents — now potentially attacker-controlled — drive the program's behaviour. With careful heap grooming this becomes code execution. The fix requires disciplined ownership of memory and often a targeted rework of the object lifecycle.
General guidance for the use after free class — the official description and references above are authoritative for this specific CVE. Want a bespoke review and a reviewed fix? Ask our team →
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
>= 2.6.24, < 4.4.294>= 4.5, < 4.9.292>= 4.10, < 4.14.257>= 4.15, < 4.19.220>= 4.20, < 5.4.164>= 5.5, < 5.10.84>= 5.11, < 5.15.7= 5.16CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped4.4.2944.9.2924.14.257
Upgrade to kernel >= 4.4.294 (for 4.4.x branch), >= 4.9.292 (for 4.9.x branch), >= 4.14.257 (for 4.14.x branch), or >= 4.19.220 (for 4.19.x branch). Newer stable branches (5.x and above) also include the fix.
- Identify the currently running kernel version using `uname -r`
- Determine which version branch your kernel comes from (e.g., 4.4.x, 4.9.x, 4.14.x, or 4.19.x)
- Upgrade the Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix commit 0769449b0a5eabc3545337217ae690e46673e73a
- For kernel 4.4.x: upgrade to >= 4.4.294
- For kernel 4.9.x: upgrade to >= 4.9.292
- For kernel 4.14.x: upgrade to >= 4.14.257
- For kernel 4.19.x: upgrade to >= 4.19.220
- Reboot the system to load the fixed kernel
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-47549 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-47549 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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