Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Linux kernel memory leak in AMD GPU power-management code. A local low-privilege user could potentially drive availability impact, not data theft or data modification. It matters most for Linux systems using affected AMD graphics paths, especially where local users or workloads can repeatedly exercise GPU driver lifecycle behavior.
Executive priority
Treat this as a scheduled kernel maintenance item unless affected systems are multi-user, GPU-exposed, or availability-sensitive. It is not evidenced as remotely exploitable or actively exploited, but local availability impact can still matter in shared compute environments.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-401: gpu_metrics_table is allocated in renoir_init_smc_tables() but was not freed in smu_v12_0_fini_smc_tables(). The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, no confidentiality or integrity impact, and high availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to affected Linux kernel builds with the AMD Renoir/SMU v12 power-management path present. The source lists Linux 5.10-related, 5.15.11, and 5.16 entries, but distro backports may change actual exposure.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not report active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. Exploitation is local according to CVSS and requires low privileges. Evidence supports availability risk from memory leakage, not remote compromise.
Researcher notes
The core evidence is the Linux stable fix description: gpu_metrics_table allocation lacked matching cleanup. The CVSS vector supports local low-privilege availability impact. Affected-version data in the bundle is sparse and should be validated against downstream distro kernel backports.
Mitigation direction
- Apply vendor or distribution kernel updates containing the stable kernel fix.
- Prioritize shared Linux systems where untrusted local users can access GPU functionality.
- Review kernel stable commits linked in the CVE record for fix inclusion.
- Use distro advisories to confirm backported fixes for packaged kernels.
- Reboot into the corrected kernel after maintenance approval.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux hosts with AMD GPU hardware and amdgpu power-management support.
- Compare running kernel packages against vendor fixed versions or backported advisories.
- Check kernel changelogs for the gpu_metrics_table memory leak fix.
- Confirm the corrected kernel is active after reboot.
- Monitor affected hosts for memory pressure or availability symptoms before remediation.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-401: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-4453 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H1.83.6CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/222cebd995cdf11fe0d502749560f65e64990e55CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/257b3bb16634fd936129fe2f57a91594a75b8751CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aa464957f7e660abd554f2546a588f6533720e21CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.