# CVE-2021-38160: Memory corruption in n/a

> An untrusted device can trigger data corruption or loss in the Linux kernel virtio console driver by supplying an oversized buffer length.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** A-197154898, AZL-6580, DEBIAN-CVE-2021-38160, GHSA-fjw9-4q3j-vpq4, PUB-A-197154898, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-38160

## What is CVE-2021-38160?

CVE-2021-38160 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Aug 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In drivers/char/virtio_console.c in the Linux kernel before 5.13.4, data corruption or loss can be triggered by an untrusted device that supplies a buf->len value exceeding the buffer size. NOTE: the vendor indicates that the cited data corruption is not a vulnerability in any existing use case; the length validation was added solely for robustness in the face of anomalous host OS behavior

Weakness: CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38160?

It affects 7 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel, Netapp Element Software, Netapp Hci Bootstrap Os, Netapp Hci Management Node, Netapp Solidfire, Redhat Enterprise Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38160?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-38160 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38160 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38160 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Aug 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38160 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38160/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38160/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38160
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38160
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38160

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38160/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.