CVE-2021-46912: net: Make tcp_allowed_congestion_control readonly in non-init netns
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: Make tcp_allowed_congestion_control readonly in non-init netns
Currently, tcp_allowed_congestion_control is global and writable;
writing to it in any net namespace will leak into all other net
namespaces.
tcp_available_congestion_control and tcp_allowed_congestion_control are
the only sysctls in ipv4_net_table (the per-netns sysctl table) with a
NULL data pointer; their handlers (proc_tcp_available_congestion_control
and proc_allowed_congestion_control) have no other way of referencing a
struct net. Thus, they operate globally.
Because ipv4_net_table does not use designated initializers, there is no
easy way to fix up this one "bad" table entry. However, the data pointer
updating logic shouldn't be applied to NULL pointers anyway, so we
instead force these entries to be read-only.
These sysctls used to exist in ipv4_table (init-net only), but they were
moved to the per-net ipv4_net_table, presumably without realizing that
tcp_allowed_congestion_control was writable and thus introduced a leak.
Because the intent of that commit was only to know (i.e. read) "which
congestion algorithms are available or allowed", this read-only solution
should be sufficient.
The logic added in recent commit
31c4d2f160eb: ("net: Ensure net namespace isolation of sysctls")
does not and cannot check for NULL data pointers, because
other table entries (e.g. /proc/sys/net/netfilter/nf_log/) have
.data=NULL but use other methods (.extra2) to access the struct net.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Linux kernel issue let a setting changed inside one network namespace affect all other namespaces. In containerized environments, that weakens isolation: one tenant or workload could alter permitted TCP congestion-control settings beyond its namespace. The source does not provide CVSS, impact detail, or evidence of active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted isolation-hardening issue, not an internet-facing emergency based on current evidence. Prioritize patching shared container infrastructure, multi-tenant Linux hosts, and systems allowing untrusted namespace creation.
Technical view
The per-network-namespace IPv4 sysctl table exposed tcp_allowed_congestion_control as writable despite its handler operating on global state because the table entry had a NULL data pointer. The kernel fix makes tcp_allowed_congestion_control read-only outside the initial network namespace, preventing cross-namespace leakage of writes.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems using network namespaces, especially container hosts or multi-tenant environments. The source identifies Linux kernel lines including 5.7-era affected code and fixes around 5.10.32, 5.11.16, and 5.12, but distribution backports may change exact package status.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show public exploitation, weaponized details, or CISA KEV listing. Practical abuse would require an actor with access to write the relevant sysctl inside a non-init network namespace, so risk depends on local/container access controls.
Researcher notes
The issue is a global sysctl state leak caused by per-netns table placement without per-netns backing data. The fix is intentionally narrow: make the problematic sysctl read-only in non-init netns rather than redesign handler state access. Impact evidence is limited in the provided record.
Mitigation direction
Apply vendor kernel updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
Check distribution advisories for backported kernel package status.
Restrict untrusted users or workloads from creating writable network namespaces until patched.
Review container host hardening around sysctl write access.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux kernel versions on container hosts and namespace-heavy systems.
Confirm vendor packages include the stable fix for this CVE.
Verify non-init network namespaces cannot write tcp_allowed_congestion_control after patching.
Review container policies for unnecessary sysctl write permissions.
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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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2021-46912 mapping review
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