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TI-2021-22203 Aliases CVE-2021-47555

net: vlan: fix underflow for the real_dev refcnt

Priority LOW 33CWE-191Published · 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-191 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: vlan: fix underflow for the real_dev refcnt Inject error before dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(), and execute the following testcase: ip link add dev dummy1 type dummy ip link add name dummy1.100 link dummy1 type vlan id 100 ip link del dev dummy1 When the dummy netdevice is removed, we will get a WARNING as following: ======================================================================= refcount_t: decrement hit 0; leaking memory. WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 0 at lib/refcount.c:31 refcount_warn_saturate+0xbf/0x1e0 and an endless loop of: ======================================================================= unregister_netdevice: waiting for dummy1 to become free. Usage count = -1073741824 That is because dev_put(real_dev) in vlan_dev_free() be called without dev_hold(real_dev) in register_vlan_dev(). It makes the refcnt of real_dev underflow. Move the dev_hold(real_dev) to vlan_dev_init() which is the call-back of ndo_init(). That makes dev_hold() and dev_put() for vlan's real_dev symmetrical.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00221 12th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.15, 5.4.163, 5.10.83 +1Red 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
LinuxLinux5.14.19 to before 5.155.15Patch availableCNA
LinuxLinux5.4.160 to before 5.4.163; 5.10.80 to before 5.10.83; 5.15.3 to before 5.15.65.4.163, 5.10.83, 5.15.6Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.14.19 to before 5.15 Fixed in 5.15 Patch available CNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.4.160 to before 5.4.163; 5.10.80 to before 5.10.83; 5.15.3 to before 5.15.6 Fixed in 5.4.163, 5.10.83, 5.15.6 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 3

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.4.160 to before 5.4.163; 5.10.80 to before 5.10.83; 5.14.19 to before 5.15; 5.15.3 to before 5.15.6VulnerableLinux
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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.4.160 to before 5.4.163; 5.10.80 to before 5.10.83; 5.14.19 to before 5.15; 5.15.3 to before 5.15.6 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

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15
  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.4.163, 5.10.83, 5.15.6

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
Not affected: 2 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-47555

References

Patch 4

  • 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

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences