CVE-2021-46936 net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel's network timer handler can cause a system panic, leading to denial of service.
- 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
What is CVE-2021-46936?
CVE-2021-46936 is a high-severity use after free 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:
net: fix use-after-free in tw_timer_handler
A real world panic issue was found as follow in Linux 5.4.
BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffde49a863de28 PGD 7e6fe62067 P4D 7e6fe62067 PUD 7e6fe63067 PMD f51e064067 PTE 0 RIP: 0010:tw_timer_handler+0x20/0x40 Call Trace: <IRQ> call_timer_fn+0x2b/0x120 run_timer_softirq+0x1ef/0x450 __do_softirq+0x10d/0x2b8 irq_exit+0xc7/0xd0 smp_apic_timer_interrupt+0x68/0x120 apic_timer_interrupt+0xf/0x20
This issue was also reported since 2017 in the thread [1], unfortunately, the issue was still can be reproduced after fixing DCCP.
The ipv4_mib_exit_net is called before tcp_sk_exit_batch when a net namespace is destroyed since tcp_sk_ops is registered befrore ipv4_mib_ops, which means tcp_sk_ops is in the front of ipv4_mib_ops in the list of pernet_list. There will be a use-after-free on net->mib.net_statistics in tw_timer_handler after ipv4_mib_exit_net if there are some inflight time-wait timers.
This bug is not introduced by commit f2bf415cfed7 ("mib: add net to NET_ADD_STATS_BH") since the net_statistics is a global variable instead of dynamic allocation and freeing. Actually, commit 61a7e26028b9 ("mib: put net statistics on struct net") introduces the bug since it put net statistics on struct net and free it when net namespace is destroyed.
Moving init_ipv4_mibs() to the front of tcp_init() to fix this bug and replace pr_crit() with panic() since continuing is meaningless when init_ipv4_mibs() fails.
[1] https://groups.google.com/g/syzkaller/c/p1tn-_Kc6l4/m/smuL_FMAAgAJ?pli=1
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-46936?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2021-46936?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2021-46936 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-46936 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2021-46936, GHSA-9x4x-qwhq-g8f7, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-46936.