CVE-2021-46986
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Free gadget structure only after freeing endpoints As part of commit e81a7018d93a ("usb: dwc3: allocate gadget structure dynamically") the dwc3_gadget_release() was added which will free the dwc->gadget structure upon the device's removal when usb_del_gadget_udc() is called in dwc3_gadget_exit(). However, simply freeing the gadget results a dangling pointer situation: the endpoints created in dwc3_gadget_init_endpoints() have their dep->endpoint.ep_list members chained off the list_head anchored at dwc->gadget->ep_list. Thus when dwc->gadget is freed, the first dwc3_ep in the list now has a dangling prev pointer and likewise for the next pointer of the dwc3_ep at the tail of the list. The dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() that follows will result in a use-after-free when it calls list_del(). This was caught by enabling KASAN and performing a driver unbind. The recent commit 568262bf5492 ("usb: dwc3: core: Add shutdown callback for dwc3") also exposes this as a panic during shutdown. There are a few possibilities to fix this. One could be to perform a list_del() of the gadget->ep_list itself which removes it from the rest of the dwc3_ep chain. Another approach is what this patch does, by splitting up the usb_del_gadget_udc() call into its separate "del" and "put" components. This allows dwc3_gadget_free_endpoints() to be called before the gadget is finally freed with usb_put_gadget().
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-416CVE-2021-46986 is a Use After Free vulnerability
What is Use After Free?
The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Learn more on MITRE CWE
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2021-46986 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ea775021282d90e1d08d696b7ab54aa75d688e5
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4b8e9601d7ee8806d2687f081a42485d27674a1
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bb9c74a5bd1462499fe5ccb1e3c5ac40dcfa9139
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2021-46986?
CVE-2021-46986 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as an Use After Free flaw (CWE-416) . CVE-2021-46986 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2021-46986?
CVE-2021-46986 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2021-46986?
No patch is currently available for CVE-2021-46986. Monitor the NIST NVD and your Linux distribution's security advisories for updates.
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Is CVE-2021-46986 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2021-46986 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is Use After Free (CWE-416)?
The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. View CWE-416 on MITRE CWE →