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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47330: tty: serial: 8250: serial_cs: Fix a memory leak in error handling path

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tty: serial: 8250: serial_cs: Fix a memory leak in error handling path In the probe function, if the final 'serial_config()' fails, 'info' is leaking. Add a resource handling path to free this memory.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-47330 is a Linux kernel memory leak in the 8250 serial_cs driver error path. If a final serial_config() call fails during probing, allocated memory is not freed. The source bundle does not provide CVSS, confirmed exploitation, or a broad business-impact statement.

Executive priority

Treat as low operational urgency based on current evidence. Address through normal kernel update cycles, with higher priority only for systems depending on affected serial driver paths or where vendor advisories assign greater impact.

Technical view

The Linux kernel fix adds resource cleanup when serial_config() fails in the serial_cs probe path. Affected entries include Linux kernel versions from 2.6.17 through 5.14, with stable commit references provided for fixes across supported branches.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to Linux systems running affected kernels where the 8250 serial_cs driver code path is present and the failing probe condition can occur. Distribution backports may change practical exposure.

Exploitation context

The bundle says KEV is false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The described issue is a memory leak in an error-handling path, not a documented remote code execution or privilege-escalation condition.

Researcher notes

Evidence is narrow: the CVE describes only a leaked info allocation after serial_config() failure. No CVSS, CWE, exploit details, or exploit-in-the-wild source is included. Validate fixes by commit inclusion or vendor backport mapping.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes and fixed package versions.
  • Prioritize systems that use affected Linux kernel ranges and serial_cs functionality.
  • Track this as kernel hygiene unless vendor guidance raises severity.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, endpoints, and appliances.
  • Confirm whether kernels include one referenced stable commit or distributor-equivalent backport.
  • Review vendor security notes before treating version strings as vulnerable.
  • Monitor for repeated serial_cs probe failures if relevant telemetry exists.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
11

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

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

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CVE-2021-47330 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
10Source 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

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9, 15b99ac1729503db9e6dc642a50b9b6cb3bf51f9unaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.17, 0, 4.4.276, 4.9.276, 4.14.240, 4.19.198, 5.4.134, 5.10.52, 5.12.19, 5.13.4, 5.14affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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