# CVE-2021-47055: mtd: require write permissions for locking and badblock ioctls

> Local attackers can modify flash memory protection bits and bad block tables without write permissions, potentially compromising device integrity.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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:** 29 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47055, GHSA-x2mc-jwgp-h2fq, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47055

## What is CVE-2021-47055?

CVE-2021-47055 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 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:

mtd: require write permissions for locking and badblock ioctls

MEMLOCK, MEMUNLOCK and OTPLOCK modify protection bits. Thus require
write permission. Depending on the hardware MEMLOCK might even be
write-once, e.g. for SPI-NOR flashes with their WP# tied to GND. OTPLOCK
is always write-once.

MEMSETBADBLOCK modifies the bad block table.

Weakness: CWE-667 (Improper Locking)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47055?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47055?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47055 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47055 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-2021-47055 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47055 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 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-2021-47055 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-2021-47055/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47055/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47055
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47055
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47055

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47055/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.