CVE-2021-47270 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel related to USB gadget drivers. Specifically, the issue involves a null pointer dereference occurring when handling 10 Gbps USB cabling configurations. The affected components include multiple USB gadget functions such as Ethernet Control Model (ecm), Ethernet Emulation Model (eem), Human Interface Device (hid), loopback, printer, Remote Network Driver Interface Specification (rndis), serial, sourcesink, subset, and TCM. The root cause is the improper handling of 10 Gbps USB configurations, where the kernel code failed to correctly reuse the 5 Gbps configuration parameters for the higher speed, leading to a null pointer dereference. This flaw can cause the kernel to crash or become unstable when interacting with USB devices operating at 10 Gbps speeds, potentially leading to denial of service (DoS) conditions. The vulnerability was addressed by modifying the kernel to reuse the 5 Gbps configuration for 10 Gbps, thereby preventing the null pointer dereference. The affected versions are identified by a specific commit hash, indicating that this vulnerability impacts certain Linux kernel builds prior to the patch. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require the presence of USB devices operating at 10 Gbps speeds and the use of the affected USB gadget drivers.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily poses a risk of denial of service through kernel crashes on systems using affected Linux kernel versions with USB gadget drivers handling 10 Gbps USB devices. Organizations relying on Linux servers, embedded systems, or network appliances that utilize USB gadget functionality—especially those employing high-speed USB 3.1 or later devices—may experience system instability or outages. This could disrupt critical services, particularly in sectors such as telecommunications, industrial control, and data centers where Linux-based systems are prevalent. Although the vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or remote code execution, the resulting system crashes could impact availability and operational continuity. Given the widespread use of Linux in European infrastructure and enterprise environments, unpatched systems could face increased risk of service interruptions. However, the absence of known exploits and the requirement for specific hardware configurations somewhat limit the immediate threat level.

European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernel to the latest patched versions that address CVE-2021-47270. Specifically, they should ensure that all systems using USB gadget drivers and supporting 10 Gbps USB devices are running kernel versions that include the fix which reuses the 5 Gbps configuration for 10 Gbps connections. For embedded and specialized devices where kernel updates may be slower, organizations should assess the necessity of 10 Gbps USB gadget functionality and consider disabling or restricting USB gadget drivers if not required. Additionally, monitoring kernel logs for null pointer dereference errors related to USB gadgets can help detect attempts to trigger this vulnerability. Organizations should also implement strict USB device control policies to limit the connection of untrusted or unnecessary high-speed USB devices to critical systems. Finally, maintaining robust backup and recovery procedures will help mitigate the impact of potential denial of service incidents caused by this vulnerability.