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TI-2021-21603 Aliases CVE-2021-46936GHSA-9x4x-qwhq-g8f7

net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler

Priority LOW 34CWE-416Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler A real world panic issue was found as follow in Linux 5.4. BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffde49a863de28 PGD 7e6fe62067 P4D 7e6fe62067 PUD 7e6fe63067 PMD f51e064067 PTE 0 RIP: 0010:tw_timer_handler+0x20/0x40 Call Trace: <IRQ> call_timer_fn+0x2b/0x120 run_timer_softirq+0x1ef/0x450 __do_softirq+0x10d/0x2b8 irq_exit+0xc7/0xd0 smp_apic_timer_interrupt+0x68/0x120 apic_timer_interrupt+0xf/0x20 This issue was also reported since 2017 in the thread [1], unfortunately, the issue was still can be reproduced after fixing DCCP. The ipv4_mib_exit_net is called before tcp_sk_exit_batch when a net namespace is destroyed since tcp_sk_ops is registered befrore ipv4_mib_ops, which means tcp_sk_ops is in the front of ipv4_mib_ops in the list of pernet_list. There will be a use-after-free on net->mib.net_statistics in tw_timer_handler after ipv4_mib_exit_net if there are some inflight time-wait timers. This bug is not introduced by commit f2bf415cfed7 ("mib: add net to NET_ADD_STATS_BH") since the net_statistics is a global variable instead of dynamic allocation and freeing. Actually, commit 61a7e26028b9 ("mib: put net statistics on struct net") introduces the bug since it put net statistics on struct net and free it when net namespace is destroyed. Moving init_ipv4_mibs() to the front of tcp_init() to fix this bug and replace pr_crit() with panic() since continuing is meaningless when init_ipv4_mibs() fails. [1] https://groups.google.com/g/syzkaller/c/p1tn-_Kc6l4/m/smuL_FMAAgAJ?pli=1

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00246 15th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 4.4.298, 4.9.296, 4.14.261 +5Red Hat: 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux2.6.27 and later4.4.298, 4.9.296, 4.14.261, 4.19.224, 5.4.170, 5.10.90, 5.15.13, 5.16Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.27 and later Fixed in 4.4.298, 4.9.296, 4.14.261, 4.19.224, 5.4.170, 5.10.90, 5.15.13, 5.16 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*2.6.27 to before 4.4.298; 4.5.0 to before 4.9.296; 4.10.0 to before 4.14.261; 4.15.0 to before 4.19.224; 4.20.0 to before 5.4.170; 5.5.0 to before 5.10.90; 5.11.0 to before 5.15.13VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.27 to before 4.4.298; 4.5.0 to before 4.9.296; 4.10.0 to before 4.14.261; 4.15.0 to before 4.19.224; 4.20.0 to before 5.4.170; 5.5.0 to before 5.10.90; 5.11.0 to before 5.15.13 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.4.298, 4.9.296, 4.14.261, 4.19.224, 5.4.170, 5.10.90, 5.15.13, 5.16

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Not affected: 2 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-46936
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-9x4x-qwhq-g8f7

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
See all 15278 →

Sources