CVE-2021-46980 usb: typec: ucsi: Retrieve all the PDOs instead of just the first 4

What is CVE-2021-46980?

CVE-2021-46980 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 28 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:

usb: typec: ucsi: Retrieve all the PDOs instead of just the first 4

commit 4dbc6a4ef06d ("usb: typec: ucsi: save power data objects in PD mode") introduced retrieval of the PDOs when connected to a PD-capable source. But only the first 4 PDOs are received since that is the maximum number that can be fetched at a time given the MESSAGE_IN length limitation (16 bytes). However, as per the PD spec a connected source may advertise up to a maximum of 7 PDOs.

If such a source is connected it's possible the PPM could have negotiated a power contract with one of the PDOs at index greater than 4, and would be reflected in the request data object's (RDO) object position field. This would result in an out-of-bounds access when the rdo_index() is used to index into the src_pdos array in ucsi_psy_get_voltage_now().

With the help of the UBSAN -fsanitize=array-bounds checker enabled this exact issue is revealed when connecting to a PD source adapter that advertise 5 PDOs and the PPM enters a contract having selected the 5th one.

[ 151.545106][ T70] Unexpected kernel BRK exception at EL1 [ 151.545112][ T70] Internal error: BRK handler: f2005512 [#1] PREEMPT SMP ... [ 151.545499][ T70] pc : ucsi_psy_get_prop+0x208/0x20c [ 151.545507][ T70] lr : power_supply_show_property+0xc0/0x328 ... [ 151.545542][ T70] Call trace: [ 151.545544][ T70] ucsi_psy_get_prop+0x208/0x20c [ 151.545546][ T70] power_supply_uevent+0x1a4/0x2f0 [ 151.545550][ T70] dev_uevent+0x200/0x384 [ 151.545555][ T70] kobject_uevent_env+0x1d4/0x7e8 [ 151.545557][ T70] power_supply_changed_work+0x174/0x31c [ 151.545562][ T70] process_one_work+0x244/0x6f0 [ 151.545564][ T70] worker_thread+0x3e0/0xa64

We can resolve this by instead retrieving and storing up to the maximum of 7 PDOs in the con->src_pdos array. This would involve two calls to the GET_PDOS command.

Weakness: CWE-125

Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-46980?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2021-46980?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.

Is CVE-2021-46980 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-46980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2021-46980, GHSA-g32h-2c9h-xpxj, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-46980.