CVE-2021-47503·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: pm80xx: Do not call scsi_remove_host() in pm8001_alloc() Calling scsi_remove_host() before scsi_add_host() results in a crash: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000108 RIP: 0010:device_del+0x63/0x440 Call Trace: device_unregister+0x17/0x60 scsi_remove_host+0xee/0x2a0 pm8001_pci_probe+0x6ef/0x1b90 [pm80xx] local_pci_probe+0x3f/0x90 We cannot call scsi_remove_host() in pm8001_alloc() because scsi_add_host() has not been called yet at that point in time. Function call tree: pm8001_pci_probe() | `- pm8001_pci_alloc() | | | `- pm8001_alloc() | | | `- scsi_remove_host() | `- scsi_add_host()
- Severity
- medium
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 5.15.8
- Published
- 2024-05-24
Affected versions
From: 5.11
Until: 5.15.8
Fixed in: 5.15.8
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 5.15.8 or later to resolve this issue. The vulnerability stems from incorrect SCSI host removal sequencing in the PM80xx driver that causes kernel crashes during device initialization. Systems running kernels 5.11 through 5.15.7 should be prioritized for patching to prevent unexpected system failures.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-develDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check installed kernel version: uname -r — ensure it is 5.15.8 or later
- Verify PM80xx SCSI adapter is present: lspci | grep -i 'pm8001\|pm80xx' — if no results, component is not exposed
- Search kernel logs for crash indicators: grep -i 'kernel NULL pointer dereference\|device_del\|scsi_remove_host' /var/log/kern.log
- After updating, reboot and confirm new kernel version: uname -r should show 5.15.8+ without PM80xx driver errors in dmesg
FAQ
What is CVE-2021-47503?
This vulnerability is a driver initialization bug in the PM80xx SCSI controller where the scsi_remove_host() function is called before scsi_add_host(), resulting in a kernel NULL pointer dereference crash during device probe operations.
Is CVE-2021-47503 being actively exploited?
No, this vulnerability is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and has no public exploit proof-of-concepts available. It requires specific hardware (PM80xx SCSI adapters) to trigger.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2021-47503?
Linux kernel versions 5.11.0 through 5.15.7 are vulnerable. Version 5.15.8 and later contain the fix.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2021-47503?
Run 'uname -r' to check your kernel version — if it shows 5.11–5.15.7, you are vulnerable. Additionally, run 'lspci | grep pm80' to confirm if you have the affected PM80xx SCSI hardware.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2021-47503?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2021-47503 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e434d2687e8bc0b3cdc9dd093c0e9047c0b4add
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/653926205741add87a6cf452e21950eebc6ac10b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f8dccc1bdea7e21b5ec06c957aef8831c772661c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e434d2687e8bc0b3cdc9dd093c0e9047c0b4add
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/653926205741add87a6cf452e21950eebc6ac10b
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