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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38160: In drivers/char/virtio_console.c in the Linux kernel before 5.13.4, data corruption or loss can be triggere...

In drivers/char/virtio_console.c in the Linux kernel before 5.13.4, data corruption or loss can be triggered by an untrusted device that supplies a buf->len value exceeding the buffer size. NOTE: the vendor indicates that the cited data corruption is not a vulnerability in any existing use case; the length validation was added solely for robustness in the face of anomalous host OS behavior

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel robustness issue in the virtio console driver. A malformed length value from an untrusted virtio device could cause data corruption or loss, but the vendor note says this was not considered exploitable in existing use cases and was fixed for robustness.

Executive priority

Treat as low urgency unless your environment depends heavily on old virtualized Linux kernels with virtio console exposure. Fold remediation into normal kernel maintenance, but verify vendor backports before closing it.

Technical view

Linux before 5.13.4 lacked validation that a virtio_console buffer length stayed within the received buffer size. The referenced kernel commit added a bounds check. The CVE record includes no CVSS, CWE, or concrete affected product list beyond the kernel context.

Likely exposure

Likely limited to systems running older Linux kernels with virtio console support, especially virtualized environments where virtio devices are present. Distribution kernels may have backported fixes, so version alone is not definitive.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. The stated trigger involves anomalous or untrusted device behavior. The vendor note explicitly says the cited data corruption was not a vulnerability in any existing use case.

Researcher notes

Key evidence is the upstream commit and Linux 5.13.4 changelog. The CVE record is sparse: no CVSS, CWE, or affected CPEs. The vendor caveat materially limits confidence in real-world exploitability.

Mitigation direction

  • Check vendor advisories for kernel packages that include the virtio_console length validation fix.
  • Upgrade to a supported kernel carrying the CVE-2021-38160 fix, where applicable.
  • Prioritize virtualization hosts and guests using virtio console functionality.
  • Track Debian, Red Hat, NetApp, and kernel guidance for environment-specific status.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions and vendor package revisions across virtualized systems.
  • Confirm whether virtio console support is enabled or used in relevant workloads.
  • Verify vendor changelogs or package notes reference CVE-2021-38160 or the upstream fix.
  • Document any systems remaining on kernels older than 5.13.4 without vendor backports.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2021-38160 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
8Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.