# CVE-2021-47506: nfsd: fix use-after-free due to delegation race

> A race condition in the Linux kernel NFS server allows attackers to trigger a use-after-free, potentially leading to code execution or system crashes.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 May 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-47506, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-47506

## What is CVE-2021-47506?

CVE-2021-47506 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: fix use-after-free due to delegation race

A delegation break could arrive as soon as we've called vfs_setlease.  A
delegation break runs a callback which immediately (in
nfsd4_cb_recall_prepare) adds the delegation to del_recall_lru.  If we
then exit nfs4_set_delegation without hashing the delegation, it will be
freed as soon as the callback is done with it, without ever being
removed from del_recall_lru.

Symptoms show up later as use-after-free or list corruption warnings,
usually in the laundromat thread.

I suspect aba2072f4523 "nfsd: grant read delegations to clients holding
writes" made this bug easier to hit, but I looked as far back as v3.0
and it looks to me it already had the same problem.  So I'm not sure
where the bug was introduced; it may have been there from the beginning.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-47506?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-47506?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-47506 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47506 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-2021-47506 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-47506 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 24 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-47506 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-2021-47506/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47506/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-47506
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-47506
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-47506

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-47506/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.