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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47598: sch_cake: do not call cake_destroy() from cake_init()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sch_cake: do not call cake_destroy() from cake_init() qdiscs are not supposed to call their own destroy() method from init(), because core stack already does that. syzbot was able to trigger use after free: DEBUG_LOCKS_WARN_ON(lock->magic != lock) WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 21902 at kernel/locking/mutex.c:586 __mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:586 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 21902 at kernel/locking/mutex.c:586 __mutex_lock+0x9ec/0x12f0 kernel/locking/mutex.c:740 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 PID: 21902 Comm: syz-executor189 Not tainted 5.16.0-rc4-syzkaller #0 Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 01/01/2011 RIP: 0010:__mutex_lock_common kernel/locking/mutex.c:586 [inline] RIP: 0010:__mutex_lock+0x9ec/0x12f0 kernel/locking/mutex.c:740 Code: 08 84 d2 0f 85 19 08 00 00 8b 05 97 38 4b 04 85 c0 0f 85 27 f7 ff ff 48 c7 c6 20 00 ac 89 48 c7 c7 a0 fe ab 89 e8 bf 76 ba ff <0f> 0b e9 0d f7 ff ff 48 8b 44 24 40 48 8d b8 c8 08 00 00 48 89 f8 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000627f290 EFLAGS: 00010282 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: ffff88802315d700 RSI: ffffffff815f1db8 RDI: fffff52000c4fe44 RBP: ffff88818f28e000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: ffffffff815ebb5e R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: dffffc0000000000 R14: ffffc9000627f458 R15: 0000000093c30000 FS: 0000555556abc400(0000) GS:ffff8880b9c00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007fda689c3303 CR3: 000000001cfbb000 CR4: 0000000000350ef0 Call Trace: <TASK> tcf_chain0_head_change_cb_del+0x2e/0x3d0 net/sched/cls_api.c:810 tcf_block_put_ext net/sched/cls_api.c:1381 [inline] tcf_block_put_ext net/sched/cls_api.c:1376 [inline] tcf_block_put+0xbc/0x130 net/sched/cls_api.c:1394 cake_destroy+0x3f/0x80 net/sched/sch_cake.c:2695 qdisc_create.constprop.0+0x9da/0x10f0 net/sched/sch_api.c:1293 tc_modify_qdisc+0x4c5/0x1980 net/sched/sch_api.c:1660 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x413/0xb80 net/core/rtnetlink.c:5571 netlink_rcv_skb+0x153/0x420 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2496 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x533/0x7d0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1345 netlink_sendmsg+0x904/0xdf0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1921 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:704 [inline] sock_sendmsg+0xcf/0x120 net/socket.c:724 ____sys_sendmsg+0x6e8/0x810 net/socket.c:2409 ___sys_sendmsg+0xf3/0x170 net/socket.c:2463 __sys_sendmsg+0xe5/0x1b0 net/socket.c:2492 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x35/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae RIP: 0033:0x7f1bb06badb9 Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at RIP 0x7f1bb06bad8f. RSP: 002b:00007fff3012a658 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000003 RCX: 00007f1bb06badb9 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00000000200007c0 RDI: 0000000000000003 RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000003 R09: 0000000000000003 R10: 0000000000000003 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007fff3012a688 R13: 00007fff3012a6a0 R14: 00007fff3012a6e0 R15: 00000000000013c2 </TASK>

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Linux kernel memory-safety bug in the CAKE traffic-control scheduler. A malformed setup path can make the scheduler destroy resources twice, leading to a use-after-free. The available evidence comes from syzbot-style kernel testing, not active exploitation reports.

Executive priority

Treat as a kernel maintenance item with higher priority on multi-tenant hosts or systems exposing network administration capabilities. There is no provided evidence of active exploitation, but kernel use-after-free defects can have outsized operational impact.

Technical view

The flaw is in net/sched/sch_cake.c: cake_init() called cake_destroy(), although qdisc core already invokes destroy on failed initialization. That double cleanup can reach freed locking state during traffic-control qdisc creation through rtnetlink/netlink paths.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with CAKE qdisc code available. Practical reach appears tied to traffic-control/qdisc configuration capability, commonly requiring administrative network privileges or equivalent container capability.

Exploitation context

The source bundle cites a syzbot-triggered use-after-free warning on Linux 5.16.0-rc4. It does not cite public exploitation, CISA KEV listing, exploit code, or a remote unauthenticated attack path.

Researcher notes

The record names fixed upstream stable commits but provides no CVSS, CWE, or detailed exploitability assessment. The likely boundary is qdisc creation via rtnetlink, so capability modeling matters more than broad network exposure assumptions.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected Linux kernels using vendor or upstream stable guidance.
  • Prioritize systems granting CAP_NET_ADMIN to users, services, or containers.
  • Review container profiles that allow traffic-control qdisc changes.
  • If patch status is unclear, check distribution advisories for CVE-2021-47598.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, appliances, and container hosts.
  • Check whether CAKE qdisc support is present or loadable.
  • Confirm kernel builds include one of the referenced stable fixes.
  • Review privileged containers or workloads with network administration capability.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
7

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-2021-47598 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
6Source 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
LinuxLinux046f6fd5daefac7f5abdafb436b30f63bc7c602b, 046f6fd5daefac7f5abdafb436b30f63bc7c602b, 046f6fd5daefac7f5abdafb436b30f63bc7c602b, 046f6fd5daefac7f5abdafb436b30f63bc7c602b, 046f6fd5daefac7f5abdafb436b30f63bc7c602bunaffected
LinuxLinux4.19, 0, 4.19.222, 5.4.168, 5.10.88, 5.15.11, 5.16affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.