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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47552: blk-mq: cancel blk-mq dispatch work in both blk_cleanup_queue and disk_release()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-mq: cancel blk-mq dispatch work in both blk_cleanup_queue and disk_release() For avoiding to slow down queue destroy, we don't call blk_mq_quiesce_queue() in blk_cleanup_queue(), instead of delaying to cancel dispatch work in blk_release_queue(). However, this way has caused kernel oops[1], reported by Changhui. The log shows that scsi_device can be freed before running blk_release_queue(), which is expected too since scsi_device is released after the scsi disk is closed and the scsi_device is removed. Fixes the issue by canceling blk-mq dispatch work in both blk_cleanup_queue() and disk_release(): 1) when disk_release() is run, the disk has been closed, and any sync dispatch activities have been done, so canceling dispatch work is enough to quiesce filesystem I/O dispatch activity. 2) in blk_cleanup_queue(), we only focus on passthrough request, and passthrough request is always explicitly allocated & freed by its caller, so once queue is frozen, all sync dispatch activity for passthrough request has been done, then it is enough to just cancel dispatch work for avoiding any dispatch activity. [1] kernel panic log [12622.769416] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000300 [12622.777186] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode [12622.782918] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page [12622.788649] PGD 0 P4D 0 [12622.791474] Oops: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP PTI [12622.796138] CPU: 10 PID: 744 Comm: kworker/10:1H Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.15.0+ #1 [12622.804877] Hardware name: Dell Inc. PowerEdge R730/0H21J3, BIOS 1.5.4 10/002/2015 [12622.813321] Workqueue: kblockd blk_mq_run_work_fn [12622.818572] RIP: 0010:sbitmap_get+0x75/0x190 [12622.823336] Code: 85 80 00 00 00 41 8b 57 08 85 d2 0f 84 b1 00 00 00 45 31 e4 48 63 cd 48 8d 1c 49 48 c1 e3 06 49 03 5f 10 4c 8d 6b 40 83 f0 01 <48> 8b 33 44 89 f2 4c 89 ef 0f b6 c8 e8 fa f3 ff ff 83 f8 ff 75 58 [12622.844290] RSP: 0018:ffffb00a446dbd40 EFLAGS: 00010202 [12622.850120] RAX: 0000000000000001 RBX: 0000000000000300 RCX: 0000000000000004 [12622.858082] RDX: 0000000000000006 RSI: 0000000000000082 RDI: ffffa0b7a2dfe030 [12622.866042] RBP: 0000000000000004 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: ffffa0b742721334 [12622.874003] R10: 0000000000000008 R11: 0000000000000008 R12: 0000000000000000 [12622.881964] R13: 0000000000000340 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: ffffa0b7a2dfe030 [12622.889926] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffffa0baafb40000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [12622.898956] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [12622.905367] CR2: 0000000000000300 CR3: 0000000641210001 CR4: 00000000001706e0 [12622.913328] Call Trace: [12622.916055] <TASK> [12622.918394] scsi_mq_get_budget+0x1a/0x110 [12622.922969] __blk_mq_do_dispatch_sched+0x1d4/0x320 [12622.928404] ? pick_next_task_fair+0x39/0x390 [12622.933268] __blk_mq_sched_dispatch_requests+0xf4/0x140 [12622.939194] blk_mq_sched_dispatch_requests+0x30/0x60 [12622.944829] __blk_mq_run_hw_queue+0x30/0xa0 [12622.949593] process_one_work+0x1e8/0x3c0 [12622.954059] worker_thread+0x50/0x3b0 [12622.958144] ? rescuer_thread+0x370/0x370 [12622.962616] kthread+0x158/0x180 [12622.966218] ? set_kthread_struct+0x40/0x40 [12622.970884] ret_from_fork+0x22/0x30 [12622.974875] </TASK> [12622.977309] Modules linked in: scsi_debug rpcsec_gss_krb5 auth_rpcgss nfsv4 dns_resolver nfs lockd grace fscache netfs sunrpc dm_multipath intel_rapl_msr intel_rapl_common dell_wmi_descriptor sb_edac rfkill video x86_pkg_temp_thermal intel_powerclamp dcdbas coretemp kvm_intel kvm mgag200 irqbypass i2c_algo_bit rapl drm_kms_helper ipmi_ssif intel_cstate intel_uncore syscopyarea sysfillrect sysimgblt fb_sys_fops pcspkr cec mei_me lpc_ich mei ipmi_si ipmi_devintf ipmi_msghandler acpi_power_meter drm fuse xfs libcrc32c sr_mod cdrom sd_mod t10_pi sg ixgbe ahci libahci crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul crc32c_intel libata megaraid_sas ghash_clmulni_intel tg3 wdat_w ---truncated---

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel flaw can cause a kernel crash during block-device queue cleanup. For organizations, the practical concern is service interruption on affected Linux systems, especially servers using SCSI or block-mq storage paths. The provided sources do not show active exploitation or a complete severity score.

Executive priority

Schedule remediation through normal kernel patch cycles, with higher priority for systems where unexpected kernel panic would disrupt revenue, customer access, or recovery operations. There is no sourced evidence of active exploitation in the provided materials.

Technical view

The issue is in Linux blk-mq cleanup ordering. Dispatch work could run after related SCSI device state was released, causing a NULL pointer dereference in kernel context. The fix cancels blk-mq dispatch work in both blk_cleanup_queue() and disk_release().

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux kernels in the affected ranges identified by the CVE record. Systems with block devices using blk-mq, including SCSI-backed storage, are most relevant. Confirm exact exposure against distribution kernel advisories because backports may differ from upstream version numbers.

Exploitation context

The source bundle includes a kernel panic trace and upstream stable fixes. It does not cite public exploitation, weaponized proof of concept, or CISA KEV listing. Treat this as a reliability and availability risk unless vendor guidance indicates otherwise.

Researcher notes

Key evidence is the upstream Linux kernel fix and panic trace. The record lacks CVSS, CWE, and exploitability detail. Validate affectedness by commit ancestry or vendor backport metadata, especially for enterprise kernels that do not track upstream numbering directly.

Mitigation direction

  • Check your Linux distribution advisory for CVE-2021-47552 backports.
  • Update affected kernels to a vendor-supported fixed build.
  • Prioritize storage-heavy servers and virtualization hosts for assessment.
  • Plan maintenance windows where kernel updates require reboot.
  • Monitor kernel logs for blk-mq or SCSI cleanup panic signatures.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers and appliances.
  • Map kernels against distribution advisories, not only upstream version numbers.
  • Review crash logs for NULL dereference traces in blk_mq_run_work_fn.
  • Confirm fixed kernel package installation after patching.
  • Test critical storage workloads after kernel updates.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

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

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CVE-2021-47552 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
3Source 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

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ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1b97871b501f1bac0fd39a073c4c8473ee457a55, 1b97871b501f1bac0fd39a073c4c8473ee457a55unaffected
LinuxLinux5.2, 0, 5.15.6, 5.16affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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