# CVE-2021-47261: IB/mlx5: Fix initializing CQ fragments buffer

> A flaw in the Linux kernel's InfiniBand driver causes a kernel panic during CQ resize operations, leading to denial of service.

- **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:** 21 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47261, GHSA-2v93-g9j3-9q9h, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47261

## What is CVE-2021-47261?

CVE-2021-47261 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 May 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:

IB/mlx5: Fix initializing CQ fragments buffer

The function init_cq_frag_buf() can be called to initialize the current CQ
fragments buffer cq->buf, or the temporary cq->resize_buf that is filled
during CQ resize operation.

However, the offending commit started to use function get_cqe() for
getting the CQEs, the issue with this change is that get_cqe() always
returns CQEs from cq->buf, which leads us to initialize the wrong buffer,
and in case of enlarging the CQ we try to access elements beyond the size
of the current cq->buf and eventually hit a kernel panic.

 [exception RIP: init_cq_frag_buf+103]
  [ffff9f799ddcbcd8] mlx5_ib_resize_cq at ffffffffc0835d60 [mlx5_ib]
  [ffff9f799ddcbdb0] ib_resize_cq at ffffffffc05270df [ib_core]
  [ffff9f799ddcbdc0] llt_rdma_setup_qp at ffffffffc0a6a712 [llt]
  [ffff9f799ddcbe10] llt_rdma_cc_event_action at ffffffffc0a6b411 [llt]
  [ffff9f799ddcbe98] llt_rdma_client_conn_thread at ffffffffc0a6bb75 [llt]
  [ffff9f799ddcbec8] kthread at ffffffffa66c5da1
  [ffff9f799ddcbf50] ret_from_fork_nospec_begin at ffffffffa6d95ddd

Fix it by getting the needed CQE by calling mlx5_frag_buf_get_wqe() that
takes the correct source buffer as a parameter.

Weakness: CWE-706 (Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47261?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47261?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47261 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47261 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-2021-47261 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47261 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 21 May 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-2021-47261 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-2021-47261/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47261/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47261
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47261
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47261

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47261/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.