# CVE-2021-47394: netfilter: nf_tables: unlink table before deleting it

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel netfilter subsystem allows local attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via race conditions.

- **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-2021-47394, GHSA-p2qw-28x5-q4gw, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47394

## What is CVE-2021-47394?

CVE-2021-47394 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:

netfilter: nf_tables: unlink table before deleting it

syzbot reports following UAF:
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in memcmp+0x18f/0x1c0 lib/string.c:955
 nla_strcmp+0xf2/0x130 lib/nlattr.c:836
 nft_table_lookup.part.0+0x1a2/0x460 net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c:570
 nft_table_lookup net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c:4064 [inline]
 nf_tables_getset+0x1b3/0x860 net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c:4064
 nfnetlink_rcv_msg+0x659/0x13f0 net/netfilter/nfnetlink.c:285
 netlink_rcv_skb+0x153/0x420 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2504

Problem is that all get operations are lockless, so the commit_mutex
held by nft_rcv_nl_event() isn't enough to stop a parallel GET request
from doing read-accesses to the table object even after synchronize_rcu().

To avoid this, unlink the table first and store the table objects in
on-stack scratch space.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47394?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47394?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47394 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47394 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-2021-47394 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47394 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-2021-47394 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-2021-47394/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47394/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47394
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47394
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47394

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47394/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.