Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-47658 is a Linux kernel AMD graphics power-management bug where memory allocated for a GPU metrics table was not freed during cleanup. The public record does not provide CVSS, confirmed impact, or exploitation evidence, so business urgency depends on whether affected Linux kernels and AMD GPU paths are in use.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted kernel hygiene item, not an emergency based on current evidence. Patch through normal kernel update channels, with priority for Linux systems using AMD GPU drivers. Escalate only if vendor advisories add severity, exploitability, or operational impact details.
Technical view
The resolved issue is in Linux drm/amd/pm: gpu_metrics_table is allocated in renoir_init_smc_tables() but was not freed in smu_v12_0_fini_smc_tables(). The referenced stable commit adds cleanup for that allocation. Sources list Linux kernel versions including 5.10 and 5.17, plus a specific commit identifier, but version range detail is incomplete.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to systems running affected Linux kernel builds with the AMD DRM power-management code path involved. The source bundle lists Linux as affected, including versions 5.10 and 5.17, but does not give distro-specific package names, CPEs, or a complete deployment profile.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources do not report active exploitation, public exploit code, or a remote attack path. The described weakness is a kernel memory leak fixed by releasing an allocated GPU metrics table during finalization.
Researcher notes
The public evidence is narrow: a Linux stable commit and CVE metadata describing a missing free for gpu_metrics_table. There is no CVSS, CWE, detailed affected range, proof of exploitability, or distro package mapping in the supplied sources.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Linux vendor or distribution kernel updates containing the referenced stable fix.
- Check vendor advisories before assuming backport status for supported distributions.
- Prioritize affected kernels on systems using AMD graphics power-management drivers.
- If patch timing is constrained, monitor systems for unusual memory pressure.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions and vendor package revisions across affected fleets.
- Confirm whether the kernel includes stable commit 583637d66a70fc7090e12fb0ebbacc33d39e2214 or an equivalent backport.
- Identify hosts using AMD DRM power-management functionality.
- Review distribution security notes for CVE-2021-47658 package mapping.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CVE-2021-47658 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/583637d66a70fc7090e12fb0ebbacc33d39e2214CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.