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TI-2021-22155 Aliases CVE-2021-47505

aio: fix use-after-free due to missing POLLFREE handling

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: 5 fixed, 1 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: aio: fix use-after-free due to missing POLLFREE handling signalfd_poll() and binder_poll() are special in that they use a waitqueue whose lifetime is the current task, rather than the struct file as is normally the case. This is okay for blocking polls, since a blocking poll occurs within one task; however, non-blocking polls require another solution. This solution is for the queue to be cleared before it is freed, by sending a POLLFREE notification to all waiters. Unfortunately, only eventpoll handles POLLFREE. A second type of non-blocking poll, aio poll, was added in kernel v4.18, and it doesn't handle POLLFREE. This allows a use-after-free to occur if a signalfd or binder fd is polled with aio poll, and the waitqueue gets freed. Fix this by making aio poll handle POLLFREE. A patch by Ramji Jiyani <[email protected]> (https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected]) tried to do this by making aio_poll_wake() always complete the request inline if POLLFREE is seen. However, that solution had two bugs. First, it introduced a deadlock, as it unconditionally locked the aio context while holding the waitqueue lock, which inverts the normal locking order. Second, it didn't consider that POLLFREE notifications are missed while the request has been temporarily de-queued. The second problem was solved by my previous patch. This patch then properly fixes the use-after-free by handling POLLFREE in a deadlock-free way. It does this by taking advantage of the fact that freeing of the waitqueue is RCU-delayed, similar to what eventpoll does.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00252 16th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 4.19.221, 5.4.165, 5.10.85 +2Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 5 fixed, 1 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
LinuxLinux4.18 and later4.19.221, 5.4.165, 5.10.85, 5.15.8, 5.16Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.18 and later Fixed in 4.19.221, 5.4.165, 5.10.85, 5.15.8, 5.16 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*4.18 to before 4.19.221; 4.20 to before 5.4.165; 5.5 to before 5.10.85; 5.11 to before 5.15.8VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*5.16 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*5.16 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*5.16 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*5.16 rc4VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.18 to before 4.19.221; 4.20 to before 5.4.165; 5.5 to before 5.10.85; 5.11 to before 5.15.8 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.16 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.16 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.16 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.16 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.19.221, 5.4.165, 5.10.85, 5.15.8, 5.16

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2024:9315 Released 2024-11-12 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    kernel security update
    • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-cross-headers-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, libperf-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) bpftool-7.4.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-64k-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5 +30
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-503.11.1.el9_5 +11

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:9315
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:9315
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:9315
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:9315
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2024:9315
Not affected: 5 products
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9)
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47505

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