high CVSS 7.8 EPSS <0.1%

CVE-2021-47082·Kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tun: avoid double free in tun_free_netdev Avoid double free in tun_free_netdev() by moving the dev->tstats and tun->security allocs to a new ndo_init routine (tun_net_init()) that will be called by register_netdevice(). ndo_init is paired with the desctructor (tun_free_netdev()), so if there's an error in register_netdevice() the destructor will handle the frees. BUG: KASAN: double-free or invalid-free in selinux_tun_dev_free_security+0x1a/0x20 security/selinux/hooks.c:5605 CPU: 0 PID: 25750 Comm: syz-executor416 Not tainted 5.16.0-rc2-syzk #1 Hardware name: Red Hat KVM, BIOS Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x89/0xb5 lib/dump_stack.c:106 print_address_description.constprop.9+0x28/0x160 mm/kasan/report.c:247 kasan_report_invalid_free+0x55/0x80 mm/kasan/report.c:372 ____kasan_slab_free mm/kasan/common.c:346 [inline] __kasan_slab_free+0x107/0x120 mm/kasan/common.c:374 kasan_slab_free include/linux/kasan.h:235 [inline] slab_free_hook mm/slub.c:1723 [inline] slab_free_freelist_hook mm/slub.c:1749 [inline] slab_free mm/slub.c:3513 [inline] kfree+0xac/0x2d0 mm/slub.c:4561 selinux_tun_dev_free_security+0x1a/0x20 security/selinux/hooks.c:5605 security_tun_dev_free_security+0x4f/0x90 security/security.c:2342 tun_free_netdev+0xe6/0x150 drivers/net/tun.c:2215 netdev_run_todo+0x4df/0x840 net/core/dev.c:10627 rtnl_unlock+0x13/0x20 net/core/rtnetlink.c:112 __tun_chr_ioctl+0x80c/0x2870 drivers/net/tun.c:3302 tun_chr_ioctl+0x2f/0x40 drivers/net/tun.c:3311 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:51 [inline] __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:874 [inline] __se_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:860 [inline] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x19d/0x220 fs/ioctl.c:860 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x3a/0x80 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae

Severity
high
Software
Kernel
Fixed in
5.15.12
Published

How likely is exploitation

FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at <0.1% — higher than 11% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.

Read the two together. CVE-2021-47082 scores 7.8 on CVSS, so a successful attack would be serious — but at <0.1%, almost nobody is currently attempting it. That is a different situation from a flaw under mass exploitation, and it is usually the difference between patching on your next maintenance window and patching tonight.

Affected versions

From: 5.11

Until: 5.15.12

Fixed in: 5.15.12

How to fix this CVE

Update your Linux kernel to version 5.15.12 or later to resolve a critical double-free vulnerability in the TUN network device driver. This flaw can allow a local attacker with minimal privileges to trigger a kernel panic or potentially escalate privileges. Ensure you test the kernel update in a staging environment before deploying to production systems.

sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Check your kernel version with `uname -r` and verify it is 5.15.12 or newer
  2. Step 2: Verify TUN module is loaded with `lsmod | grep tun` to identify if the vulnerable component is active
  3. Step 3: Search kernel logs for double-free errors with `sudo dmesg | grep -i 'double.free\|invalid.free\|kasan'` to detect exploitation attempts
  4. Step 4: After updating, confirm the fix with `uname -r` and reboot if necessary, then verify TUN module still loads correctly with `sudo modprobe tun && lsmod | grep tun`

FAQ

What is CVE-2021-47082?

CVE-2021-47082 is a double-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's TUN network device driver that occurs during device initialization and cleanup. A local attacker with standard user privileges can trigger this flaw by creating a malformed TUN device, leading to kernel crashes or potential privilege escalation.

Is CVE-2021-47082 being actively exploited?

No, CVE-2021-47082 is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and no public exploits are currently available. However, the vulnerability is straightforward to trigger locally and should be patched promptly.

What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2021-47082?

Linux kernel versions 5.11 through 5.15.11 are vulnerable. The vulnerability was fixed in kernel version 5.15.12 and later. Users of older stable branches (5.10, 5.4) may have received backported fixes.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2021-47082?

Run `uname -r` to display your kernel version. If the output shows a version between 5.11 and 5.15.11 (inclusive), your system is vulnerable. Additionally, check if TUN module is enabled with `grep CONFIG_TUN /boot/config-$(uname -r)`.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2021-47082?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2021-47082 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

Related Kernel CVEs

CVE-2026-63795CVSS 10In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: 9p: avoid putting oldfid in p9_client_walk() error path When p9_client_walk() is called with clone set to false, fid aliases oldfid. If the walk subsequently fails after the request has been sent, the error path jumps to clunk_fid, which currently calls p9_fid_put(fid) unconditionally. This drops a reference to oldfid even though ownership of oldfid remains with the caller. If this is the last reference, oldfid can be clunked and destroyed while the caller still expects it to be valid. A later use or put of oldfid can then trigger a use-after-free or refcount underflow. Fix this by only putting fid in the clunk_fid error path when it does not alias oldfid, matching the existing guard in the error path below. This can be triggered when a multi-component walk is split into multiple p9_client_walk() calls and a later non-cloning walk fails. A reproducer and refcount warning logs are available on request.
CVE-2026-46325CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/rxe: Fix iova-to-va conversion for MR page sizes != PAGE_SIZE The current implementation incorrectly handles memory regions (MRs) with page sizes different from the system PAGE_SIZE. The core issue is that rxe_set_page() is called with mr->page_size step increments, but the page_list stores individual struct page pointers, each representing PAGE_SIZE of memory. ib_sg_to_page() has ensured that when i>=1 either a) SG[i-1].dma_end and SG[i].dma_addr are contiguous or b) SG[i-1].dma_end and SG[i].dma_addr are mr->page_size aligned. This leads to incorrect iova-to-va conversion in scenarios: 1) page_size < PAGE_SIZE (e.g., MR: 4K, system: 64K): ibmr->iova = 0x181800 sg[0]: dma_addr=0x181800, len=0x800 sg[1]: dma_addr=0x173000, len=0x1000 Access iova = 0x181800 + 0x810 = 0x182010 Expected VA: 0x173010 (second SG, offset 0x10) Before fix: - index = (0x182010 >> 12) - (0x181800 >> 12) = 1 - page_offset = 0x182010 & 0xFFF = 0x10 - xarray[1] stores system page base 0x170000 - Resulting VA: 0x170000 + 0x10 = 0x170010 (wrong) 2) page_size > PAGE_SIZE (e.g., MR: 64K, system: 4K): ibmr->iova = 0x18f800 sg[0]: dma_addr=0x18f800, len=0x800 sg[1]: dma_addr=0x170000, len=0x1000 Access iova = 0x18f800 + 0x810 = 0x190010 Expected VA: 0x170010 (second SG, offset 0x10) Before fix: - index = (0x190010 >> 16) - (0x18f800 >> 16) = 1 - page_offset = 0x190010 & 0xFFFF = 0x10 - xarray[1] stores system page for dma_addr 0x170000 - Resulting VA: system page of 0x170000 + 0x10 = 0x170010 (wrong) Yi Zhang reported a kernel panic[1] years ago related to this defect. Solution: 1. Replace xarray with pre-allocated rxe_mr_page array for sequential indexing (all MR page indices are contiguous) 2. Each rxe_mr_page stores both struct page* and offset within the system page 3. Handle MR page_size != PAGE_SIZE relationships: - page_size > PAGE_SIZE: Split MR pages into multiple system pages - page_size <= PAGE_SIZE: Store offset within system page 4. Add boundary checks and compatibility validation This ensures correct iova-to-va conversion regardless of MR page size and system PAGE_SIZE relationship, while improving performance through array-based sequential access. Tests on 4K and 64K PAGE_SIZE hosts: - rdma-core/pytests $ ./build/bin/run_tests.py --dev eth0_rxe - blktest: $ TIMEOUT=30 QUICK_RUN=1 USE_RXE=1 NVMET_TRTYPES=rdma ./check nvme srp rnbd [1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAHj4cs9XRqE25jyVw9rj9YugffLn5+f=1znaBEnu1usLOciD+g@mail.gmail.com/T/
CVE-2026-52914CVSS 9.8In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: batman-adv: fix fragment reassembly length accounting batman-adv keeps a running payload length for queued fragments and uses it to validate a fragment chain before reassembly. That accounting currently allows the accumulated fragment length to be truncated during updates. As a result, malformed fragment chains can bypass the intended validation and drive reassembly with inconsistent length state, leading to a local denial of service. Fix the accounting by storing the accumulated length in a length-typed field and rejecting update overflows before the existing validation logic runs. The fix was verified against the original reproducer and against valid fragment reassembly paths.
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References

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