# CVE-2021-47439: net: dsa: microchip: Added the condition for scheduling ksz_mib_read_work

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel Microchip DSA driver causes a crash when removing the module, leading to denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 22 May 2024
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47439, GHSA-35q9-qwff-qmh4, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47439

## What is CVE-2021-47439?

CVE-2021-47439 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 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:

net: dsa: microchip: Added the condition for scheduling ksz_mib_read_work

When the ksz module is installed and removed using rmmod, kernel crashes
with null pointer dereferrence error. During rmmod, ksz_switch_remove
function tries to cancel the mib_read_workqueue using
cancel_delayed_work_sync routine and unregister switch from dsa.

During dsa_unregister_switch it calls ksz_mac_link_down, which in turn
reschedules the workqueue since mib_interval is non-zero.
Due to which queue executed after mib_interval and it tries to access
dp->slave. But the slave is unregistered in the ksz_switch_remove
function. Hence kernel crashes.

To avoid this crash, before canceling the workqueue, resetted the
mib_interval to 0.

v1 -> v2:
-Removed the if condition in ksz_mib_read_work

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47439?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47439?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47439 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47439 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-2021-47439 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47439 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 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-2021-47439 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-2021-47439/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47439/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47439
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47439
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47439

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47439/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.