# CVE-2021-47375: blktrace: Fix uaf in blk_trace access after removing by sysfs

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's blktrace subsystem allows local attackers to cause a system crash via race conditions during trace removal.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **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:** 21 May 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47375, GHSA-x6vg-gvf6-hmp9, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47375

## What is CVE-2021-47375?

CVE-2021-47375 is a medium-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:

blktrace: Fix uaf in blk_trace access after removing by sysfs

There is an use-after-free problem triggered by following process:

      P1(sda)				P2(sdb)
			echo 0 > /sys/block/sdb/trace/enable
			  blk_trace_remove_queue
			    synchronize_rcu
			    blk_trace_free
			      relay_close
rcu_read_lock
__blk_add_trace
  trace_note_tsk
  (Iterate running_trace_list)
			        relay_close_buf
				  relay_destroy_buf
				    kfree(buf)
    trace_note(sdb's bt)
      relay_reserve
        buf->offset <- nullptr deference (use-after-free) !!!
rcu_read_unlock

[  502.714379] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address:
0000000000000010
[  502.715260] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode
[  502.715903] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page
[  502.716546] PGD 103984067 P4D 103984067 PUD 17592b067 PMD 0
[  502.717252] Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP
[  502.720308] RIP: 0010:trace_note.isra.0+0x86/0x360
[  502.732872] Call Trace:
[  502.733193]  __blk_add_trace.cold+0x137/0x1a3
[  502.733734]  blk_add_trace_rq+0x7b/0xd0
[  502.734207]  blk_add_trace_rq_issue+0x54/0xa0
[  502.734755]  blk_mq_start_request+0xde/0x1b0
[  502.735287]  scsi_queue_rq+0x528/0x1140
...
[  502.742704]  sg_new_write.isra.0+0x16e/0x3e0
[  502.747501]  sg_ioctl+0x466/0x1100

Reproduce method:
  ioctl(/dev/sda, BLKTRACESETUP, blk_user_trace_setup[buf_size=127])
  ioctl(/dev/sda, BLKTRACESTART)
  ioctl(/dev/sdb, BLKTRACESETUP, blk_user_trace_setup[buf_size=127])
  ioctl(/dev/sdb, BLKTRACESTART)

  echo 0 > /sys/block/sdb/trace/enable &
  // Add delay(mdelay/msleep) before kernel enters blk_trace_free()

  ioctl$SG_IO(/dev/sda, SG_IO, ...)
  // Enters trace_note_tsk() after blk_trace_free() returned
  // Use mdelay in rcu region rather than msleep(which may schedule out)

Remove blk_trace from running_list before calling blk_trace_free() by
sysfs if blk_trace is at Blktrace_running state.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47375?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47375?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47375 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47375 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-2021-47375 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47375 is a medium-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-2021-47375 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-2021-47375/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47375/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47375
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47375
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47375

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47375/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.