LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-47671: can: etas_es58x: es58x_rx_err_msg(): fix memory leak in error path

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: etas_es58x: es58x_rx_err_msg(): fix memory leak in error path In es58x_rx_err_msg(), if can->do_set_mode() fails, the function directly returns without calling netif_rx(skb). This means that the skb previously allocated by alloc_can_err_skb() is not freed. In other terms, this is a memory leak. This patch simply removes the return statement in the error branch and let the function continue. Issue was found with GCC -fanalyzer, please follow the link below for details.

LowCVSS 3.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a low-severity Linux kernel memory leak in the ETAS ES58x CAN driver error path. A local, low-privileged user could potentially cause limited availability impact if the affected driver path is reachable. The supplied sources do not show data theft, integrity impact, remote exploitation, or confirmed active exploitation.

Executive priority

Treat as routine kernel maintenance unless the organization relies on ETAS ES58x CAN interfaces in operational environments. Business urgency is low, but affected embedded, lab, or industrial Linux systems should be patched through normal change control.

Technical view

In es58x_rx_err_msg(), failure of can->do_set_mode() returned before passing the allocated skb to netif_rx(), leaving it unfreed. The Linux fix removes that early return so normal cleanup handling continues. The CVSS vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, availability-only impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with the ETAS ES58x CAN driver present and reachable. General-purpose servers without this CAN hardware or driver path are less likely to be exposed, based on the supplied evidence.

Exploitation context

The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector requires local access and low privileges. The issue is a memory leak, so realistic concern is resource exhaustion rather than confidentiality or integrity compromise.

Researcher notes

The evidence describes a GCC -fanalyzer-found CWE-401 memory leak in the Linux CAN ETAS ES58x driver. Affected version data in the bundle is sparse and commit-oriented, so validation should rely on kernel commit inclusion or distribution backport confirmation.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a Linux kernel or distro package containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Prioritize systems using ETAS ES58x CAN interfaces or affected kernel branches.
  • Check distribution vendor advisories for supported backports and rollout guidance.
  • If patching is delayed, follow vendor mitigation guidance; none is specified in supplied sources.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts for affected kernel versions and ETAS ES58x driver usage.
  • Confirm whether referenced stable commits are present in deployed kernel sources or packages.
  • Check distro CVE trackers for backported fixes matching CVE-2021-47671.
  • Verify post-update kernel version or package changelog includes this CVE or fix.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

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

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-401: 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-2021-47671 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
Low
CVSS
3.3 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
4Source 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
3.3CVSS 3.1LowCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L1.81.4CISA-ADP

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

3.3Low
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-47671Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux8537257874e949a59c834cecfd5a063e11b64b0b, 8537257874e949a59c834cecfd5a063e11b64b0b, 8537257874e949a59c834cecfd5a063e11b64b0bunaffected
LinuxLinux5.13, 0, 5.14.19, 5.15.3, 5.16affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-401

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

CWE-401 · source CWE mapping

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs