# CVE-2021-47338: fbmem: Do not delete the mode that is still in use

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's fbmem driver allows local attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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-2021-47338, GHSA-m2r9-3c4r-qv68, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47338

## What is CVE-2021-47338?

CVE-2021-47338 is a high-severity use after free 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:

fbmem: Do not delete the mode that is still in use

The execution of fb_delete_videomode() is not based on the result of the
previous fbcon_mode_deleted(). As a result, the mode is directly deleted,
regardless of whether it is still in use, which may cause UAF.

==================================================================
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in fb_mode_is_equal+0x36e/0x5e0 \
drivers/video/fbdev/core/modedb.c:924
Read of size 4 at addr ffff88807e0ddb1c by task syz-executor.0/18962

CPU: 2 PID: 18962 Comm: syz-executor.0 Not tainted 5.10.45-rc1+ #3
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS ...
Call Trace:
 __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:77 [inline]
 dump_stack+0x137/0x1be lib/dump_stack.c:118
 print_address_description+0x6c/0x640 mm/kasan/report.c:385
 __kasan_report mm/kasan/report.c:545 [inline]
 kasan_report+0x13d/0x1e0 mm/kasan/report.c:562
 fb_mode_is_equal+0x36e/0x5e0 drivers/video/fbdev/core/modedb.c:924
 fbcon_mode_deleted+0x16a/0x220 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c:2746
 fb_set_var+0x1e1/0xdb0 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbmem.c:975
 do_fb_ioctl+0x4d9/0x6e0 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbmem.c:1108
 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:48 [inline]
 __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:753 [inline]
 __se_sys_ioctl+0xfb/0x170 fs/ioctl.c:739
 do_syscall_64+0x2d/0x70 arch/x86/entry/common.c:46
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9

Freed by task 18960:
 kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:48 [inline]
 kasan_set_track+0x3d/0x70 mm/kasan/common.c:56
 kasan_set_free_info+0x17/0x30 mm/kasan/generic.c:355
 __kasan_slab_free+0x108/0x140 mm/kasan/common.c:422
 slab_free_hook mm/slub.c:1541 [inline]
 slab_free_freelist_hook+0xd6/0x1a0 mm/slub.c:1574
 slab_free mm/slub.c:3139 [inline]
 kfree+0xca/0x3d0 mm/slub.c:4121
 fb_delete_videomode+0x56a/0x820 drivers/video/fbdev/core/modedb.c:1104
 fb_set_var+0x1f3/0xdb0 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbmem.c:978
 do_fb_ioctl+0x4d9/0x6e0 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbmem.c:1108
 vfs_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:48 [inline]
 __do_sys_ioctl fs/ioctl.c:753 [inline]
 __se_sys_ioctl+0xfb/0x170 fs/ioctl.c:739
 do_syscall_64+0x2d/0x70 arch/x86/entry/common.c:46
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xa9

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47338?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47338?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47338 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47338 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-2021-47338 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47338 is a high-severity use after free 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-2021-47338 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-2021-47338/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47338/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47338
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47338
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47338

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47338/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.