LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-47636: ubifs: Fix read out-of-bounds in ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ubifs: Fix read out-of-bounds in ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock() Function ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock() may access buf out of bounds in following process: ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock(): aligned_len = ALIGN(len, 8); // Assume len = 4089, aligned_len = 4096 if (aligned_len <= wbuf->avail) ... // Not satisfy if (wbuf->used) { ubifs_leb_write() // Fill some data in avail wbuf len -= wbuf->avail; // len is still not 8-bytes aligned aligned_len -= wbuf->avail; } n = aligned_len >> c->max_write_shift; if (n) { n <<= c->max_write_shift; err = ubifs_leb_write(c, wbuf->lnum, buf + written, wbuf->offs, n); // n > len, read out of bounds less than 8(n-len) bytes } , which can be catched by KASAN: ========================================================= BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ecc_sw_hamming_calculate+0x1dc/0x7d0 Read of size 4 at addr ffff888105594ff8 by task kworker/u8:4/128 Workqueue: writeback wb_workfn (flush-ubifs_0_0) Call Trace: kasan_report.cold+0x81/0x165 nand_write_page_swecc+0xa9/0x160 ubifs_leb_write+0xf2/0x1b0 [ubifs] ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock+0x421/0x12c0 [ubifs] write_head+0xdc/0x1c0 [ubifs] ubifs_jnl_write_inode+0x627/0x960 [ubifs] wb_workfn+0x8af/0xb80 Function ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock() accepts that parameter 'len' is not 8 bytes aligned, the 'len' represents the true length of buf (which is allocated in 'ubifs_jnl_xxx', eg. ubifs_jnl_write_inode), so ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock() must handle the length read from 'buf' carefully to write leb safely. Fetch a reproducer in [Link].

HighCVSS 7.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-47636 is a Linux kernel UBIFS flaw where certain filesystem writes can read past the end of a memory buffer. The CVE rates it high because a local, low-privileged user could potentially expose kernel memory or crash the system on affected kernels.

Executive priority

Treat this as high priority for embedded, appliance, or flash-storage Linux fleets using UBIFS. It is less urgent for general servers where UBIFS is absent. Patch through normal kernel vendor channels, with accelerated handling for local multi-user or tenant-accessible systems.

Technical view

The issue is in ubifs_wbuf_write_nolock(). When len is not 8-byte aligned, aligned_len can exceed the true buffer length after write-buffer handling, causing ubifs_leb_write() to read beyond buf. The CVE maps this to CWE-125 with CVSS 7.1, local attack vector, low complexity, and low privileges required.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Linux systems running affected kernel versions with UBIFS in use, commonly flash-backed or embedded environments. Systems not using UBIFS are less likely exposed, but kernel build configuration and mounted filesystems should be verified.

Exploitation context

The CVE describes local exploitation requirements: low privileges, no user interaction, and no network attack vector. The bundle says KEV is false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. A reproducer is mentioned, but details are not included in the supplied sources.

Researcher notes

The key failure is length accounting after ALIGN(len, 8). The true buffer length remains unaligned, but the later write path can pass a larger aligned size into ubifs_leb_write(), producing a small out-of-bounds read. Source evidence does not establish remote reachability or active exploitation.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported Linux kernel containing the referenced UBIFS stable fixes.
  • Check Linux distribution or device vendor guidance for backported kernel fixes.
  • Prioritize systems using UBIFS or flash-backed embedded storage.
  • Restrict untrusted local shell or workload access on affected systems until patched.
  • Monitor kernel crash or memory-safety telemetry on UBIFS-enabled hosts.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions against the CVE affected version data.
  • Confirm whether UBIFS is enabled, mounted, or used by products in scope.
  • Verify vendor kernel packages include the referenced UBIFS fix commits or backports.
  • Review crash reports for UBIFS, KASAN, or writeback traces matching the CVE description.
  • Document non-UBIFS systems separately as lower-likelihood exposure.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-125: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-47636 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.1 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
8Source links

SSVC decision data

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

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.1CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H1.85.2CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.1High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-47636Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

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
cvssV3_1other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16d, 1e51764a3c2ac05a23a22b2a95ddee4d9bffb16dunaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.27, 0, 4.19.238, 5.4.189, 5.10.110, 5.15.33, 5.16.19, 5.17.2, 5.18affected
Weakness

CWE details

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

CWE-125 · source CWE mapping

Out-of-bounds Read

Out-of-bounds Read represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.