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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47034: powerpc/64s: Fix pte update for kernel memory on radix

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/64s: Fix pte update for kernel memory on radix When adding a PTE a ptesync is needed to order the update of the PTE with subsequent accesses otherwise a spurious fault may be raised. radix__set_pte_at() does not do this for performance gains. For non-kernel memory this is not an issue as any faults of this kind are corrected by the page fault handler. For kernel memory these faults are not handled. The current solution is that there is a ptesync in flush_cache_vmap() which should be called when mapping from the vmalloc region. However, map_kernel_page() does not call flush_cache_vmap(). This is troublesome in particular for code patching with Strict RWX on radix. In do_patch_instruction() the page frame that contains the instruction to be patched is mapped and then immediately patched. With no ordering or synchronization between setting up the PTE and writing to the page it is possible for faults. As the code patching is done using __put_user_asm_goto() the resulting fault is obscured - but using a normal store instead it can be seen: BUG: Unable to handle kernel data access on write at 0xc008000008f24a3c Faulting instruction address: 0xc00000000008bd74 Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] LE PAGE_SIZE=64K MMU=Radix SMP NR_CPUS=2048 NUMA PowerNV Modules linked in: nop_module(PO+) [last unloaded: nop_module] CPU: 4 PID: 757 Comm: sh Tainted: P O 5.10.0-rc5-01361-ge3c1b78c8440-dirty #43 NIP: c00000000008bd74 LR: c00000000008bd50 CTR: c000000000025810 REGS: c000000016f634a0 TRAP: 0300 Tainted: P O (5.10.0-rc5-01361-ge3c1b78c8440-dirty) MSR: 9000000000009033 <SF,HV,EE,ME,IR,DR,RI,LE> CR: 44002884 XER: 00000000 CFAR: c00000000007c68c DAR: c008000008f24a3c DSISR: 42000000 IRQMASK: 1 This results in the kind of issue reported here: https://lore.kernel.org/linuxppc-dev/15AC5B0E-A221-4B8C-9039-FA96B8EF7C88@lca.pw/ Chris Riedl suggested a reliable way to reproduce the issue: $ mount -t debugfs none /sys/kernel/debug $ (while true; do echo function > /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/current_tracer ; echo nop > /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/current_tracer ; done) & Turning ftrace on and off does a large amount of code patching which in usually less then 5min will crash giving a trace like: ftrace-powerpc: (____ptrval____): replaced (4b473b11) != old (60000000) ------------[ ftrace bug ]------------ ftrace failed to modify [<c000000000bf8e5c>] napi_busy_loop+0xc/0x390 actual: 11:3b:47:4b Setting ftrace call site to call ftrace function ftrace record flags: 80000001 (1) expected tramp: c00000000006c96c ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 4 PID: 809 at kernel/trace/ftrace.c:2065 ftrace_bug+0x28c/0x2e8 Modules linked in: nop_module(PO-) [last unloaded: nop_module] CPU: 4 PID: 809 Comm: sh Tainted: P O 5.10.0-rc5-01360-gf878ccaf250a #1 NIP: c00000000024f334 LR: c00000000024f330 CTR: c0000000001a5af0 REGS: c000000004c8b760 TRAP: 0700 Tainted: P O (5.10.0-rc5-01360-gf878ccaf250a) MSR: 900000000282b033 <SF,HV,VEC,VSX,EE,FP,ME,IR,DR,RI,LE> CR: 28008848 XER: 20040000 CFAR: c0000000001a9c98 IRQMASK: 0 GPR00: c00000000024f330 c000000004c8b9f0 c000000002770600 0000000000000022 GPR04: 00000000ffff7fff c000000004c8b6d0 0000000000000027 c0000007fe9bcdd8 GPR08: 0000000000000023 ffffffffffffffd8 0000000000000027 c000000002613118 GPR12: 0000000000008000 c0000007fffdca00 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 GPR16: 0000000023ec37c5 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000008 GPR20: c000000004c8bc90 c0000000027a2d20 c000000004c8bcd0 c000000002612fe8 GPR24: 0000000000000038 0000000000000030 0000000000000028 0000000000000020 GPR28: c000000000ff1b68 c000000000bf8e5c c00000000312f700 c000000000fbb9b0 NIP ftrace_bug+0x28c/0x2e8 LR ftrace_bug+0x288/0x2e8 Call T ---truncated---

MediumCVSS 4.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel reliability flaw on PowerPC 64-bit systems using radix memory management. Under specific kernel memory mapping and code patching conditions, the kernel can fault and crash. The business impact is mainly service interruption on affected hosts, not data theft or remote compromise based on the supplied sources.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel patch management, with higher priority for critical PowerPC services where a local administrator-triggered kernel crash would disrupt operations. This is not supported as an internet-facing emergency by the supplied evidence.

Technical view

The flaw is a missing PTE synchronization path for kernel memory on powerpc/64s radix. map_kernel_page() can set a mapping and immediately access it without the ordering expected by later kernel accesses. Code patching with Strict RWX, including ftrace activity, can trigger kernel faults and availability loss.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems on PowerPC 64s radix configurations within the affected kernel ranges listed by the CVE data. General x86, ARM, and non-radix environments are not identified as affected in the supplied sources.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and high availability impact. CISA KEV is false in the bundle, and no cited source establishes active exploitation. The provided discussion shows reproducible crash behavior, not remote exploitation.

Researcher notes

The source description ties the bug to PTE update ordering for kernel memory, map_kernel_page(), Strict RWX code patching, and ftrace-driven code modification. Evidence supports availability impact only. Affected version data is coarse, so distribution backport verification matters.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade to a vendor kernel that includes the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check distribution advisories for backports before judging package exposure.
  • Prioritize PowerPC 64s radix hosts, especially systems using Strict RWX or dynamic tracing.
  • If patching is delayed, seek vendor guidance; sources do not name a workaround.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions on PowerPC 64s radix systems.
  • Compare vendor package changelogs against the referenced stable commits.
  • Confirm whether the running kernel includes the powerpc/64s PTE synchronization fix.
  • Review kernel crash logs for ftrace or code patching faults on affected hosts.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
8

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-2021-47034 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
4.4 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
7Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
4.4CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H0.83.6CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

4.4Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-47034Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxf1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17, f1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17, f1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17, f1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17, f1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17, f1cb8f9beba8699dd1b4518418191499e53f7b17unaffected
LinuxLinux4.18, 0, 4.19.191, 5.4.119, 5.10.37, 5.11.21, 5.12.4, 5.13affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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