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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2021-47089: kfence: fix memory leak when cat kfence objects

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 13/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.19% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 0129ab1f268b6cf88825eae819b9b84aa0a85634, 2f06c8293d27f6337f907042c602c9c953988c48.
  • Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 0129ab1f268b6cf88825eae819b9b84aa0a85634, 2f06c8293d27f6337f907042c602c9c953988c48 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kfence: fix memory leak when cat kfence objects Hulk robot reported a kmemleak problem: unreferenced object 0xffff93d1d8cc02e8 (size 248): comm "cat", pid 23327, jiffies 4624670141 (age 495992.217s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 40 85 19 d4 93 ff ff 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 .@.............. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................ backtrace: seq_open+0x2a/0x80 full_proxy_open+0x167/0x1e0 do_dentry_open+0x1e1/0x3a0 path_openat+0x961/0xa20 do_filp_open+0xae/0x120 do_sys_openat2+0x216/0x2f0 do_sys_open+0x57/0x80 do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9 unreferenced object 0xffff93d419854000 (size 4096): comm "cat", pid 23327, jiffies 4624670141 (age 495992.217s) hex dump (first 32 bytes): 6b 66 65 6e 63 65 2d 23 32 35 30 3a 20 30 78 30 kfence-#250: 0x0 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 37 35 34 62 64 61 31 32 2d 0000000754bda12- backtrace: seq_read_iter+0x313/0x440 seq_read+0x14b/0x1a0 full_proxy_read+0x56/0x80 vfs_read+0xa5/0x1b0 ksys_read+0xa0/0xf0 do_syscall_64+0x33/0x40 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9 I find that we can easily reproduce this problem with the following commands: cat /sys/kernel/debug/kfence/objects echo scan > /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak The leaked memory is allocated in the stack below: do_syscall_64 do_sys_open do_dentry_open full_proxy_open seq_open ---> alloc seq_file vfs_read full_proxy_read seq_read seq_read_iter traverse ---> alloc seq_buf And it should have been released in the following process: do_syscall_64 syscall_exit_to_user_mode exit_to_user_mode_prepare task_work_run ____fput __fput full_proxy_release ---> free here However, the release function corresponding to file_operations is not implemented in kfence. As a result, a memory leak occurs. Therefore, the solution to this problem is to implement the corresponding release function.

LowCVSS 3.3 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Mar 4, 2024
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 8th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

13

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
13 / 40 · 3.3 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel5.12 and later · before 5.15.12
  • linux linux kernel5.16

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 5.12affected
    • 0ce20dd840897b12ae70869c69f1ba34d6d16965 and later · before 2f06c8293d27f6337f907042c602c9c953988c48affected · git
    • 0ce20dd840897b12ae70869c69f1ba34d6d16965 and later · before 0129ab1f268b6cf88825eae819b9b84aa0a85634affected · git
    • before 5.12not affected · semver
    • 5.15.12 and later · up to and including 5.15.*not affected · semver
    • 5.16 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 5.15.15-15.15.15-1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5dtb-aarch64before 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-64kbbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-azurebefore 5.14.21-150500.33.60.15.14.21-150500.33.60.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-debugbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-docsbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.25.14.21-150500.55.73.2
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-kvmsmallbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-obs-buildbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-obs-qabefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-rtbefore 5.14.21-150500.13.61.15.14.21-150500.13.61.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-rt_debugbefore 5.14.21-150500.13.61.15.14.21-150500.13.61.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-sourcebefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-source-azurebefore 5.14.21-150500.33.60.15.14.21-150500.33.60.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-source-rtbefore 5.14.21-150500.13.61.15.14.21-150500.13.61.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-symsbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-syms-azurebefore 5.14.21-150500.33.60.15.14.21-150500.33.60.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-syms-rtbefore 5.14.21-150500.13.61.15.14.21-150500.13.61.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.5kernel-zfcpdumpbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.5kernel-defaultbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.5kernel-default-basebefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.85.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP5kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_17before 1-150500.11.3.11-150500.11.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP5kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5-RT_Update_17before 1-150500.11.3.11-150500.11.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5kernel-defaultbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.15.14.21-150500.55.73.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5kernel-default-basebefore 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.85.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8

+13

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-47087Mar 4, 2024 · tee: optee: Fix incorrect page free bug
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2021-47088Mar 4, 2024 · mm/damon/dbgfs: protect targets destructions with kdamond_lock
    28Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2021-47090Mar 4, 2024 · mm/hwpoison: clear MF_COUNT_INCREASED before retrying get_any_page()
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux0129ab1f268b6cf88825eae819b9b84aa0a85634Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux2f06c8293d27f6337f907042c602c9c953988c48Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux5.15.15-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:dtb-aarch645.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-64kb5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-debug5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default-base5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-rt_debug5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-syms-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-syms-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-64kb5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default-base5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5-RT_Update_171-150500.11.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-rt_debug5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-syms-azure5.14.21-150500.33.60.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-syms-rt5.14.21-150500.13.61.1 · SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)

Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.

All national notices →

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
low · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
Low

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-401 · Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

CVSS vector

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

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (1 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records