# CVE-2021-46913: netfilter: nftables: clone set element expression template

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel netfilter subsystem allows local attackers to cause a system crash via connlimit set elements.

- **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:** 27 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-46913, GHSA-8mhp-pmjg-f6cw, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-46913

## What is CVE-2021-46913?

CVE-2021-46913 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: nftables: clone set element expression template

memcpy() breaks when using connlimit in set elements. Use
nft_expr_clone() to initialize the connlimit expression list, otherwise
connlimit garbage collector crashes when walking on the list head copy.

[  493.064656] Workqueue: events_power_efficient nft_rhash_gc [nf_tables]
[  493.064685] RIP: 0010:find_or_evict+0x5a/0x90 [nf_conncount]
[  493.064694] Code: 2b 43 40 83 f8 01 77 0d 48 c7 c0 f5 ff ff ff 44 39 63 3c 75 df 83 6d 18 01 48 8b 43 08 48 89 de 48 8b 13 48 8b 3d ee 2f 00 00 <48> 89 42 08 48 89 10 48 b8 00 01 00 00 00 00 ad de 48 89 03 48 83
[  493.064699] RSP: 0018:ffffc90000417dc0 EFLAGS: 00010297
[  493.064704] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff888134f38410 RCX: 0000000000000000
[  493.064708] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffff888134f38410 RDI: ffff888100060cc0
[  493.064711] RBP: ffff88812ce594a8 R08: ffff888134f38438 R09: 00000000ebb9025c
[  493.064714] R10: ffffffff8219f838 R11: 0000000000000017 R12: 0000000000000001
[  493.064718] R13: ffffffff82146740 R14: ffff888134f38410 R15: 0000000000000000
[  493.064721] FS:  0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff88840e440000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[  493.064725] CS:  0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
[  493.064729] CR2: 0000000000000008 CR3: 00000001330aa002 CR4: 00000000001706e0
[  493.064733] Call Trace:
[  493.064737]  nf_conncount_gc_list+0x8f/0x150 [nf_conncount]
[  493.064746]  nft_rhash_gc+0x106/0x390 [nf_tables]

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-46913?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-46913?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-46913 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-46913 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-46913 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-46913 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Feb 2024. 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-2021-46913 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2021-46913/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-46913/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-46913
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-46913
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-46913

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-46913/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.