# CVE-2021-47044: sched/fair: Fix shift-out-of-bounds in load_balance()

> An integer overflow in the Linux kernel scheduler can lead to undefined behavior and potential denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47044, GHSA-8g29-7ww6-62wf, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47044

## What is CVE-2021-47044?

CVE-2021-47044 is a high-severity 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:

sched/fair: Fix shift-out-of-bounds in load_balance()

Syzbot reported a handful of occurrences where an sd->nr_balance_failed can
grow to much higher values than one would expect.

A successful load_balance() resets it to 0; a failed one increments
it. Once it gets to sd->cache_nice_tries + 3, this *should* trigger an
active balance, which will either set it to sd->cache_nice_tries+1 or reset
it to 0. However, in case the to-be-active-balanced task is not allowed to
run on env->dst_cpu, then the increment is done without any further
modification.

This could then be repeated ad nauseam, and would explain the absurdly high
values reported by syzbot (86, 149). VincentG noted there is value in
letting sd->cache_nice_tries grow, so the shift itself should be
fixed. That means preventing:

  """
  If the value of the right operand is negative or is greater than or equal
  to the width of the promoted left operand, the behavior is undefined.
  """

Thus we need to cap the shift exponent to
  BITS_PER_TYPE(typeof(lefthand)) - 1.

I had a look around for other similar cases via coccinelle:

  @expr@
  position pos;
  expression E1;
  expression E2;
  @@
  (
  E1 >> E2@pos
  |
  E1 >> E2@pos
  )

  @cst depends on expr@
  position pos;
  expression expr.E1;
  constant cst;
  @@
  (
  E1 >> cst@pos
  |
  E1 << cst@pos
  )

  @script:python depends on !cst@
  pos << expr.pos;
  exp << expr.E2;
  @@
  # Dirty hack to ignore constexpr
  if exp.upper() != exp:
     coccilib.report.print_report(pos[0], "Possible UB shift here")

The only other match in kernel/sched is rq_clock_thermal() which employs
sched_thermal_decay_shift, and that exponent is already capped to 10, so
that one is fine.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47044?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47044?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47044 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47044 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-2021-47044 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47044 is a high-severity 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47044 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-2021-47044/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47044/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47044
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47044
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47044

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47044/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.