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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47118: pid: take a reference when initializing `cad_pid`

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pid: take a reference when initializing `cad_pid` During boot, kernel_init_freeable() initializes `cad_pid` to the init task's struct pid. Later on, we may change `cad_pid` via a sysctl, and when this happens proc_do_cad_pid() will increment the refcount on the new pid via get_pid(), and will decrement the refcount on the old pid via put_pid(). As we never called get_pid() when we initialized `cad_pid`, we decrement a reference we never incremented, can therefore free the init task's struct pid early. As there can be dangling references to the struct pid, we can later encounter a use-after-free (e.g. when delivering signals). This was spotted when fuzzing v5.13-rc3 with Syzkaller, but seems to have been around since the conversion of `cad_pid` to struct pid in commit 9ec52099e4b8 ("[PATCH] replace cad_pid by a struct pid") from the pre-KASAN stone age of v2.6.19. Fix this by getting a reference to the init task's struct pid when we assign it to `cad_pid`. Full KASAN splat below. ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in ns_of_pid include/linux/pid.h:153 [inline] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in task_active_pid_ns+0xc0/0xc8 kernel/pid.c:509 Read of size 4 at addr ffff23794dda0004 by task syz-executor.0/273 CPU: 1 PID: 273 Comm: syz-executor.0 Not tainted 5.12.0-00001-g9aef892b2d15 #1 Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) Call trace: ns_of_pid include/linux/pid.h:153 [inline] task_active_pid_ns+0xc0/0xc8 kernel/pid.c:509 do_notify_parent+0x308/0xe60 kernel/signal.c:1950 exit_notify kernel/exit.c:682 [inline] do_exit+0x2334/0x2bd0 kernel/exit.c:845 do_group_exit+0x108/0x2c8 kernel/exit.c:922 get_signal+0x4e4/0x2a88 kernel/signal.c:2781 do_signal arch/arm64/kernel/signal.c:882 [inline] do_notify_resume+0x300/0x970 arch/arm64/kernel/signal.c:936 work_pending+0xc/0x2dc Allocated by task 0: slab_post_alloc_hook+0x50/0x5c0 mm/slab.h:516 slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:2907 [inline] slab_alloc mm/slub.c:2915 [inline] kmem_cache_alloc+0x1f4/0x4c0 mm/slub.c:2920 alloc_pid+0xdc/0xc00 kernel/pid.c:180 copy_process+0x2794/0x5e18 kernel/fork.c:2129 kernel_clone+0x194/0x13c8 kernel/fork.c:2500 kernel_thread+0xd4/0x110 kernel/fork.c:2552 rest_init+0x44/0x4a0 init/main.c:687 arch_call_rest_init+0x1c/0x28 start_kernel+0x520/0x554 init/main.c:1064 0x0 Freed by task 270: slab_free_hook mm/slub.c:1562 [inline] slab_free_freelist_hook+0x98/0x260 mm/slub.c:1600 slab_free mm/slub.c:3161 [inline] kmem_cache_free+0x224/0x8e0 mm/slub.c:3177 put_pid.part.4+0xe0/0x1a8 kernel/pid.c:114 put_pid+0x30/0x48 kernel/pid.c:109 proc_do_cad_pid+0x190/0x1b0 kernel/sysctl.c:1401 proc_sys_call_handler+0x338/0x4b0 fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c:591 proc_sys_write+0x34/0x48 fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c:617 call_write_iter include/linux/fs.h:1977 [inline] new_sync_write+0x3ac/0x510 fs/read_write.c:518 vfs_write fs/read_write.c:605 [inline] vfs_write+0x9c4/0x1018 fs/read_write.c:585 ksys_write+0x124/0x240 fs/read_write.c:658 __do_sys_write fs/read_write.c:670 [inline] __se_sys_write fs/read_write.c:667 [inline] __arm64_sys_write+0x78/0xb0 fs/read_write.c:667 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:37 [inline] invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49 [inline] el0_svc_common.constprop.1+0x16c/0x388 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:129 do_el0_svc+0xf8/0x150 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:168 el0_svc+0x28/0x38 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:416 el0_sync_handler+0x134/0x180 arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:432 el0_sync+0x154/0x180 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:701 The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff23794dda0000 which belongs to the cache pid of size 224 The buggy address is located 4 bytes inside of 224-byte region [ff ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-47118 is a Linux kernel memory-management bug in cad_pid handling. A missing reference during boot can let a later sysctl change free the init task's pid structure too early, leaving dangling references and causing a kernel use-after-free. Public sources show a fix in Linux stable commits, but no KEV-listed active exploitation.

Executive priority

Handle through normal kernel patch governance unless your environment is significantly behind on Linux updates. The bug is in core kernel code and has stable fixes, but the provided evidence does not show active exploitation or a defined business-impact score.

Technical view

The kernel initializes cad_pid without get_pid(), but proc_do_cad_pid() later put_pid()s the old value when cad_pid is changed. That mismatched reference accounting can prematurely free init's struct pid and later trigger use-after-free paths such as signal delivery. The issue was found by Syzkaller fuzzing v5.13-rc3 and traced back to v2.6.19-era code.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel code from the cad_pid conversion lineage through unfixed stable versions. The bundle lists Linux 2.6.19 and multiple 4.x/5.x release lines as affected, with corresponding stable commit references for fixes. Product-specific distribution status is not provided.

Exploitation context

The source evidence describes fuzzing discovery and a KASAN use-after-free trace after writing the cad_pid sysctl. It does not provide public exploitation evidence, impact scoring, or a weaponized exploit. KEV is false, so active exploitation should not be assumed from this bundle.

Researcher notes

Focus review on cad_pid initialization, proc_do_cad_pid(), and pid reference-count symmetry. The key condition is initializing cad_pid without taking a reference, then later dropping that reference during sysctl replacement. Treat exploitability and required privileges as unresolved unless confirmed from vendor or kernel analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Update Linux kernels to vendor releases containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Use distribution advisories to map package versions to the fixed kernel commits.
  • Prioritize systems where kernel updates lag behind the listed stable branches.
  • Avoid treating CVSS or exploitability as known; the bundle provides neither.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel versions across servers, appliances, and container hosts.
  • Compare kernel source or changelog against the referenced stable commit fixes.
  • Check distribution security trackers for backported fixes under CVE-2021-47118.
  • Confirm updated systems boot the expected fixed kernel version.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
10

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-2021-47118 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
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

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

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

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

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6, 9ec52099e4b8678a60e9f93e41ad87885d64f3e6unaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.19, 0, 4.4.272, 4.9.272, 4.14.236, 4.19.194, 5.4.125, 5.10.43, 5.12.10, 5.13affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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