spi: Fix use-after-free with devm_spi_alloc_*
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 · NVD. 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: spi: Fix use-after-free with devm_spi_alloc_* We can't rely on the contents of the devres list during spi_unregister_controller(), as the list is already torn down at the time we perform devres_find() for devm_spi_release_controller. This causes devices registered with devm_spi_alloc_{master,slave}() to be mistakenly identified as legacy, non-devm managed devices and have their reference counters decremented below 0. ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 660 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0x108/0x174 [<b0396f04>] (refcount_warn_saturate) from [<b03c56a4>] (kobject_put+0x90/0x98) [<b03c5614>] (kobject_put) from [<b0447b4c>] (put_device+0x20/0x24) r4:b6700140 [<b0447b2c>] (put_device) from [<b07515e8>] (devm_spi_release_controller+0x3c/0x40) [<b07515ac>] (devm_spi_release_controller) from [<b045343c>] (release_nodes+0x84/0xc4) r5:b6700180 r4:b6700100 [<b04533b8>] (release_nodes) from [<b0454160>] (devres_release_all+0x5c/0x60) r8:b1638c54 r7:b117ad94 r6:b1638c10 r5:b117ad94 r4:b163dc10 [<b0454104>] (devres_release_all) from [<b044e41c>] (__device_release_driver+0x144/0x1ec) r5:b117ad94 r4:b163dc10 [<b044e2d8>] (__device_release_driver) from [<b044f70c>] (device_driver_detach+0x84/0xa0) r9:00000000 r8:00000000 r7:b117ad94 r6:b163dc54 r5:b1638c10 r4:b163dc10 [<b044f688>] (device_driver_detach) from [<b044d274>] (unbind_store+0xe4/0xf8) Instead, determine the devm allocation state as a flag on the controller which is guaranteed to be stable during cleanup.
Why it matters now
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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.4.248 to before 4.4.271; 4.9.248 to before 4.9.271; 4.14.212 to before 4.14.233; 4.19.163 to before 4.19.191; 5.4.80 to before 5.4.119; 5.9.11 to before 5.10 | 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 5.10 and later | 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10.37, 5.11.21, 5.12.4, 5.13 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.4.248 to before 4.4.271; 4.9.248 to before 4.9.271; 4.14.212 to before 4.14.233; 4.19.163 to before 4.19.191; 5.4.80 to before 5.4.119; 5.9.11 to before 5.10 Fixed in 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.10 and later Fixed in 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10.37, 5.11.21, 5.12.4, 5.13 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.4.248 to before 4.4.271; 4.9.248 to before 4.9.271; 4.14.212 to before 4.14.233; 4.19.163 to before 4.19.191; 5.4.80 to before 5.4.119; 5.10 to before 5.10.37; 5.11 to before 5.11.21; 5.12 to before 5.12.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.4.248 to before 4.4.271; 4.9.248 to before 4.9.271; 4.14.212 to before 4.14.233; 4.19.163 to before 4.19.191; 5.4.80 to before 5.4.119; 5.10 to before 5.10.37; 5.11 to before 5.11.21; 5.12 to before 5.12.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.4.271, 4.9.271, 4.14.233, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10.37, 5.11.21, 5.12.4, 5.13
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-46959
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-p64f-v3w3-f3gw
References
Patch 9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62bb2c7f2411a0045c24831f11ecacfc35610815
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8bf96425c90f5c1dcf3b7b9df568019a1d4b8a0e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e029707f50a82c53172359c686b2536ab54e58c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28a5529068c51cdf0295ab1e11a99a3a909a03e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/001c8e83646ad3b847b18f6ac55a54367d917d74
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7fabe372a9031acd00498bc718ce27c253abfd1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cee78aa24578edac8cf00513dca618c0acc17cd7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8735248ebb918d25427965f0db07939ed0473ec6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/794aaf01444d4e765e2b067cba01cc69c1c68ed9
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2021-46959 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-46959 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p64f-v3w3-f3gw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2021-46959 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences