CVE-2021-28714

MEDIUM

Linux Kernel < 5.15.0 - Denial of Service via Netback Driver Memory Hogging

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

Guest can force Linux netback driver to hog large amounts of kernel memory T[his CNA information record relates to multiple CVEs; the text explains which aspects/vulnerabilities correspond to which CVE.] Incoming data packets for a guest in the Linux kernel's netback driver are buffered until the guest is ready to process them. There are some measures taken for avoiding to pile up too much data, but those can be bypassed by the guest: There is a timeout how long the client side of an interface can stop consuming new packets before it is assumed to have stalled, but this timeout is rather long (60 seconds by default). Using a UDP connection on a fast interface can easily accumulate gigabytes of data in that time. (CVE-2021-28715) The timeout could even never trigger if the guest manages to have only one free slot in its RX queue ring page and the next package would require more than one free slot, which may be the case when using GSO, XDP, or software hashing. (CVE-2021-28714)

References (5)

Core 5
Core References
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://xenbits.xenproject.org/xsa/advisory-392.txt
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5050
Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00011.html
Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/03/msg00012.html
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5096

Scores

CVSS v3 6.5
EPSS 0.0032
EPSS Percentile 24.1%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-770
Status published
Products (3)
debian/debian_linux 10.0
debian/debian_linux 11.0
linux/linux_kernel < 5.15.0
Published Jan 06, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026