CVE-2021-47302: Vulnerability in Linux Linux

Severity: highType: vulnerabilityCVE-2021-47302

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: igc: Fix use-after-free error during reset Cleans the next descriptor to watch (next_to_watch) when cleaning the TX ring. Failure to do so can cause invalid memory accesses. If igc_poll() runs while the controller is being reset this can lead to the driver try to free a skb that was already freed. Log message: [ 101.525242] refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. [ 101.525251] WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 646 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xab/0xf0 [ 101.525259] Modules linked in: sch_etf(E) sch_mqprio(E) rfkill(E) intel_rapl_msr(E) intel_rapl_common(E) x86_pkg_temp_thermal(E) intel_powerclamp(E) coretemp(E) binfmt_misc(E) kvm_intel(E) kvm(E) irqbypass(E) crc32_pclmul(E) ghash_clmulni_intel(E) aesni_intel(E) mei_wdt(E) libaes(E) crypto_simd(E) cryptd(E) glue_helper(E) snd_hda_codec_hdmi(E) rapl(E) intel_cstate(E) snd_hda_intel(E) snd_intel_dspcfg(E) sg(E) soundwire_intel(E) intel_uncore(E) at24(E) soundwire_generic_allocation(E) iTCO_wdt(E) soundwire_cadence(E) intel_pmc_bxt(E) serio_raw(E) snd_hda_codec(E) iTCO_vendor_support(E) watchdog(E) snd_hda_core(E) snd_hwdep(E) snd_soc_core(E) snd_compress(E) snd_pcsp(E) soundwire_bus(E) snd_pcm(E) evdev(E) snd_timer(E) mei_me(E) snd(E) soundcore(E) mei(E) configfs(E) ip_tables(E) x_tables(E) autofs4(E) ext4(E) crc32c_generic(E) crc16(E) mbcache(E) jbd2(E) sd_mod(E) t10_pi(E) crc_t10dif(E) crct10dif_generic(E) i915(E) ahci(E) libahci(E) ehci_pci(E) igb(E) xhci_pci(E) ehci_hcd(E) [ 101.525303] drm_kms_helper(E) dca(E) xhci_hcd(E) libata(E) crct10dif_pclmul(E) cec(E) crct10dif_common(E) tsn(E) igc(E) e1000e(E) ptp(E) i2c_i801(E) crc32c_intel(E) psmouse(E) i2c_algo_bit(E) i2c_smbus(E) scsi_mod(E) lpc_ich(E) pps_core(E) usbcore(E) drm(E) button(E) video(E) [ 101.525318] CPU: 1 PID: 646 Comm: irq/37-enp7s0-T Tainted: G E 5.10.30-rt37-tsn1-rt-ipipe #ipipe [ 101.525320] Hardware name: SIEMENS AG SIMATIC IPC427D/A5E31233588, BIOS V17.02.09 03/31/2017 [ 101.525322] RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xab/0xf0 [ 101.525325] Code: 05 31 48 44 01 01 e8 f0 c6 42 00 0f 0b c3 80 3d 1f 48 44 01 00 75 90 48 c7 c7 78 a8 f3 a6 c6 05 0f 48 44 01 01 e8 d1 c6 42 00 <0f> 0b c3 80 3d fe 47 44 01 00 0f 85 6d ff ff ff 48 c7 c7 d0 a8 f3 [ 101.525327] RSP: 0018:ffffbdedc0917cb8 EFLAGS: 00010286 [ 101.525329] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff98fd6becbf40 RCX: 0000000000000001 [ 101.525330] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: ffffffffa6f2700c RDI: 00000000ffffffff [ 101.525332] RBP: ffff98fd6becc14c R08: ffffffffa7463d00 R09: ffffbdedc0917c50 [ 101.525333] R10: ffffffffa74c3578 R11: 0000000000000034 R12: 00000000ffffff00 [ 101.525335] R13: ffff98fd6b0b1000 R14: 0000000000000039 R15: ffff98fd6be35c40 [ 101.525337] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff98fd6e240000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 101.525339] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 101.525341] CR2: 00007f34135a3a70 CR3: 0000000150210003 CR4: 00000000001706e0 [ 101.525343] Call Trace: [ 101.525346] sock_wfree+0x9c/0xa0 [ 101.525353] unix_destruct_scm+0x7b/0xa0 [ 101.525358] skb_release_head_state+0x40/0x90 [ 101.525362] skb_release_all+0xe/0x30 [ 101.525364] napi_consume_skb+0x57/0x160 [ 101.525367] igc_poll+0xb7/0xc80 [igc] [ 101.525376] ? sched_clock+0x5/0x10 [ 101.525381] ? sched_clock_cpu+0xe/0x100 [ 101.525385] net_rx_action+0x14c/0x410 [ 101.525388] __do_softirq+0xe9/0x2f4 [ 101.525391] __local_bh_enable_ip+0xe3/0x110 [ 101.525395] ? irq_finalize_oneshot.part.47+0xe0/0xe0 [ 101.525398] irq_forced_thread_fn+0x6a/0x80 [ 101.525401] irq_thread+0xe8/0x180 [ 101.525403] ? wake_threads_waitq+0x30/0x30 [ 101.525406] ? irq_thread_check_affinity+0xd0/0xd0 [ 101.525408] kthread+0x183/0x1a0 [ 101.525412] ? kthread_park+0x80/0x80 [ 101.525415] ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2021-47302 is a use-after-free vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's igc network driver, which handles Intel Gigabit Ethernet controllers. The flaw arises during the reset process of the network controller, specifically when the driver cleans the transmit (TX) ring buffer. The vulnerability occurs because the driver fails to properly clear the 'next_to_watch' descriptor pointer when cleaning the TX ring. If the igc_poll() function executes concurrently while the controller is resetting, it may attempt to free a socket buffer (skb) that has already been freed, leading to invalid memory accesses. This results in a use-after-free condition, which is a critical memory safety error. The kernel log messages indicate a refcount underflow and warnings related to refcount saturation, confirming the improper memory handling. The issue is triggered in environments using the affected igc driver versions on Linux kernel 5.10.30-rt37-tsn1-rt-ipipe and similar. The vulnerability can cause kernel crashes or undefined behavior, potentially leading to denial of service or escalation of privileges if exploited. However, no known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability affects Linux systems running the igc driver, commonly found in industrial PCs and servers using Intel Gigabit Ethernet hardware, such as the Siemens SIMATIC IPC427D mentioned in the logs.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to systems relying on affected Linux kernels with the igc driver, especially in industrial control systems, manufacturing environments, and data centers using Intel Gigabit Ethernet hardware. Exploitation could lead to kernel crashes causing denial of service, disrupting critical operations and industrial processes. In worst cases, attackers might leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code in kernel context, potentially escalating privileges and compromising system integrity. Given the widespread use of Linux in European enterprise and industrial environments, the vulnerability could impact availability and integrity of networked systems, affecting sectors such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and critical infrastructure. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's nature warrants prompt mitigation to prevent future exploitation. Organizations with real-time or industrial Linux kernels (e.g., RT patches) are particularly at risk due to the affected kernel versions noted.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Apply the official Linux kernel patches that address CVE-2021-47302 as soon as they become available from trusted Linux distributions or kernel maintainers. 2. For industrial and embedded systems where kernel updates are challenging, consider isolating affected devices from untrusted networks to reduce attack surface. 3. Monitor kernel logs for refcount underflow or use-after-free warnings indicative of attempted exploitation or instability. 4. Implement strict network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable network interfaces. 5. Employ runtime security tools capable of detecting anomalous kernel behavior or memory corruption attempts. 6. Coordinate with hardware vendors and industrial control system providers to ensure firmware and driver updates incorporate the fix. 7. For critical systems, plan for kernel upgrades during maintenance windows to minimize operational disruption. 8. Maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from potential denial of service or compromise.