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CVE Record

CVE-2021-47618: ARM: 9170/1: fix panic when kasan and kprobe are enabled

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ARM: 9170/1: fix panic when kasan and kprobe are enabled arm32 uses software to simulate the instruction replaced by kprobe. some instructions may be simulated by constructing assembly functions. therefore, before executing instruction simulation, it is necessary to construct assembly function execution environment in C language through binding registers. after kasan is enabled, the register binding relationship will be destroyed, resulting in instruction simulation errors and causing kernel panic. the kprobe emulate instruction function is distributed in three files: actions-common.c actions-arm.c actions-thumb.c, so disable KASAN when compiling these files. for example, use kprobe insert on cap_capable+20 after kasan enabled, the cap_capable assembly code is as follows: <cap_capable>: e92d47f0 push {r4, r5, r6, r7, r8, r9, sl, lr} e1a05000 mov r5, r0 e280006c add r0, r0, #108 ; 0x6c e1a04001 mov r4, r1 e1a06002 mov r6, r2 e59fa090 ldr sl, [pc, #144] ; ebfc7bf8 bl c03aa4b4 <__asan_load4> e595706c ldr r7, [r5, #108] ; 0x6c e2859014 add r9, r5, #20 ...... The emulate_ldr assembly code after enabling kasan is as follows: c06f1384 <emulate_ldr>: e92d47f0 push {r4, r5, r6, r7, r8, r9, sl, lr} e282803c add r8, r2, #60 ; 0x3c e1a05000 mov r5, r0 e7e37855 ubfx r7, r5, #16, #4 e1a00008 mov r0, r8 e1a09001 mov r9, r1 e1a04002 mov r4, r2 ebf35462 bl c03c6530 <__asan_load4> e357000f cmp r7, #15 e7e36655 ubfx r6, r5, #12, #4 e205a00f and sl, r5, #15 0a000001 beq c06f13bc <emulate_ldr+0x38> e0840107 add r0, r4, r7, lsl #2 ebf3545c bl c03c6530 <__asan_load4> e084010a add r0, r4, sl, lsl #2 ebf3545a bl c03c6530 <__asan_load4> e2890010 add r0, r9, #16 ebf35458 bl c03c6530 <__asan_load4> e5990010 ldr r0, [r9, #16] e12fff30 blx r0 e356000f cm r6, #15 1a000014 bne c06f1430 <emulate_ldr+0xac> e1a06000 mov r6, r0 e2840040 add r0, r4, #64 ; 0x40 ...... when running in emulate_ldr to simulate the ldr instruction, panic occurred, and the log is as follows: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000090 pgd = ecb46400 [00000090] *pgd=2e0fa003, *pmd=00000000 Internal error: Oops: 206 [#1] SMP ARM PC is at cap_capable+0x14/0xb0 LR is at emulate_ldr+0x50/0xc0 psr: 600d0293 sp : ecd63af8 ip : 00000004 fp : c0a7c30c r10: 00000000 r9 : c30897f4 r8 : ecd63cd4 r7 : 0000000f r6 : 0000000a r5 : e59fa090 r4 : ecd63c98 r3 : c06ae294 r2 : 00000000 r1 : b7611300 r0 : bf4ec008 Flags: nZCv IRQs off FIQs on Mode SVC_32 ISA ARM Segment user Control: 32c5387d Table: 2d546400 DAC: 55555555 Process bash (pid: 1643, stack limit = 0xecd60190) (cap_capable) from (kprobe_handler+0x218/0x340) (kprobe_handler) from (kprobe_trap_handler+0x24/0x48) (kprobe_trap_handler) from (do_undefinstr+0x13c/0x364) (do_undefinstr) from (__und_svc_finish+0x0/0x30) (__und_svc_finish) from (cap_capable+0x18/0xb0) (cap_capable) from (cap_vm_enough_memory+0x38/0x48) (cap_vm_enough_memory) from (security_vm_enough_memory_mm+0x48/0x6c) (security_vm_enough_memory_mm) from (copy_process.constprop.5+0x16b4/0x25c8) (copy_process.constprop.5) from (_do_fork+0xe8/0x55c) (_do_fork) from (SyS_clone+0x1c/0x24) (SyS_clone) from (__sys_trace_return+0x0/0x10) Code: 0050a0e1 6c0080e2 0140a0e1 0260a0e1 (f801f0e7)

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This Linux kernel issue can crash 32-bit ARM systems when two diagnostic features, KASAN and kprobes, are enabled together. The known impact is kernel panic, not data theft or remote code execution. Exposure appears narrow and mainly relevant to debug, testing, or specialized kernels using kprobes on ARM.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted stability risk for ARM debug or specialized systems, not a broad emergency. Prioritize patching where ARM32 kernels with diagnostic instrumentation support production, CI, or device fleet operations.

Technical view

On ARM32, kprobe instruction emulation relies on register bindings prepared in C. KASAN instrumentation can disturb those bindings in kprobe action files, causing incorrect emulation and a NULL pointer kernel panic. The upstream fix disables KASAN compilation for affected kprobe emulation sources.

Likely exposure

Most standard production systems are unlikely to be exposed unless they run affected 32-bit ARM Linux kernels with KASAN and kprobes enabled. Custom embedded, test, CI, or security-instrumented kernels are the most plausible exposure.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. The described failure requires the affected kernel configuration and use of kprobes. Evidence supports denial of service through kernel panic, not remote compromise.

Researcher notes

The CVE evidence is a kernel fix description and stable commit references. Affected version data is limited and unusual, so validate against downstream kernel trees rather than relying only on the CVE version list.

Mitigation direction

  • Update affected ARM32 Linux kernels to versions containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution or device-vendor advisories for backported kernel patches.
  • Avoid enabling KASAN and kprobes together on affected ARM32 kernels until patched.
  • Disable nonessential debug instrumentation on production ARM systems.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory 32-bit ARM systems and kernel versions against vendor-fixed releases.
  • Confirm whether kernels are built with KASAN and kprobe support enabled.
  • Review kernel configuration and CI images for diagnostic builds used in production-like environments.
  • Check crash logs for panics involving kprobe emulation or cap_capable paths.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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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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
4Source 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

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

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux35aa1df4328340f38edc46f00837f08d33d49f63, 35aa1df4328340f38edc46f00837f08d33d49f63, 35aa1df4328340f38edc46f00837f08d33d49f63unaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.25, 0, 5.15.19, 5.16.5, 5.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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