CVE-2021-47318: linux kernel Use-After-Free — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arch_topology: Avoid use-after-free for scale_freq_data Currently topology_scale_freq_tick() (which gets called from scheduler_tick()) may end up using a pointer to "struct scale_freq_data", which was previously cleared by topology_clear_scale_freq_source(), as there is no protection in place here. The users of topology_clear_scale_freq_source() though needs a guarantee that the previously cleared scale_freq_data isn't used anymore, so they can free the related resources. Since topology_scale_freq_tick() is called from scheduler tick, we don't want to add locking in there. Use the RCU update mechanism instead (which is already used by the scheduler's utilization update path) to guarantee race free updates here. synchronize_rcu() makes sure that all RCU critical sections that started before it is called, will finish before it returns. And so the callers of topology_clear_scale_freq_source() don't need to worry about their callback getting called anymore.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	5.13 — 5.13.4

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83150f5d05f065fb5c12c612f119015cabdcc124 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ccdf7e073170886bc370c613e269de610a794c4a https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83150f5d05f065fb5c12c612f119015cabdcc124 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ccdf7e073170886bc370c613e269de610a794c4a

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-47318? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arch_topology: Avoid use-after-free for scale_freq_data Currently topology_scale_freq_tick() (which gets called from scheduler_tick()) may end up using a pointer to "struct scale_freq_data", which was previously cleared by topology_clear_scale_freq_source(), as there is no protection in place here. The users of topology_clear_scale_freq_source() though needs a guarantee that the previously cleared scale_freq_data isn't used anymore, so they can free the related resources. Since topology_scale_freq_tick() is called from scheduler tick, we don't want to add locking in there. Use the RCU update mechanism instead (which is already used by the scheduler's utilization update path) to guarantee race free updates here. synchronize_rcu() makes sure that all RCU critical sections that started before it is called, will finish before it returns. And so the callers of topology_clear_scale_freq_source() don't need to worry about their callback getting called anymore. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2021-47318? +

CVE-2021-47318 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-47318? +

CVE-2021-47318 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2021-47318? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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