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TI-2021-21962 Aliases CVE-2021-47304GHSA-gr8g-fg7p-9238

tcp: fix tcp_init_transfer() to not reset icsk_ca_initialized

Priority LOW 24CWE-415Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 4 fixed, 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-415 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: fix tcp_init_transfer() to not reset icsk_ca_initialized This commit fixes a bug (found by syzkaller) that could cause spurious double-initializations for congestion control modules, which could cause memory leaks or other problems for congestion control modules (like CDG) that allocate memory in their init functions. The buggy scenario constructed by syzkaller was something like: (1) create a TCP socket (2) initiate a TFO connect via sendto() (3) while socket is in TCP_SYN_SENT, call setsockopt(TCP_CONGESTION), which calls: tcp_set_congestion_control() -> tcp_reinit_congestion_control() -> tcp_init_congestion_control() (4) receive ACK, connection is established, call tcp_init_transfer(), set icsk_ca_initialized=0 (without first calling cc->release()), call tcp_init_congestion_control() again. Note that in this sequence tcp_init_congestion_control() is called twice without a cc->release() call in between. Thus, for CC modules that allocate memory in their init() function, e.g, CDG, a memory leak may occur. The syzkaller tool managed to find a reproducer that triggered such a leak in CDG. The bug was introduced when that commit 8919a9b31eb4 ("tcp: Only init congestion control if not initialized already") introduced icsk_ca_initialized and set icsk_ca_initialized to 0 in tcp_init_transfer(), missing the possibility for a sequence like the one above, where a process could call setsockopt(TCP_CONGESTION) in state TCP_SYN_SENT (i.e. after the connect() or TFO open sendmsg()), which would call tcp_init_congestion_control(). It did not intend to reset any initialization that the user had already explicitly made; it just missed the possibility of that particular sequence (which syzkaller managed to find).

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00235 14th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.10.53, 5.13.5, 5.14Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 4 fixed, 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
LinuxLinux5.10 and later5.10.53, 5.13.5, 5.14Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.10 and later Fixed in 5.10.53, 5.13.5, 5.14 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 2

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.10 to before 5.10.53; 5.11 to before 5.13.5VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*5.14 rc1VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.10 to before 5.10.53; 5.11 to before 5.13.5 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.53, 5.13.5, 5.14

Red Hat 2 advisories

  • RHSA-2024:5101 Released 2024-08-08 · Red Hat rating Important
    kernel security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) bpftool-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10, kernel-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10, kernel-abi-stablelists-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10 +19
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) kernel-tools-libs-devel-4.18.0-553.16.1.el8_10
  • RHSA-2024:5102 Released 2024-08-08 · Red Hat rating Important
    kernel-rt security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) kernel-rt-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-core-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10, kernel-rt-debug-4.18.0-553.16.1.rt7.357.el8_10 +7

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Low. 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
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2024:5101
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2024:5101
Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2024:5102
Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8)Fixed RHSA-2024:5102
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47304
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gr8g-fg7p-9238

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