CVE-2021-28039

Name: CVE-2021-28039
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-03-05T18:15:13.19+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.5/10EPSS 0.42%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-28039 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.5/10 on the CVSS scale. An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel 5.9.x through 5.11.3, as used with Xen. In some less-common configurations, an x86 PV guest OS user can crash a Dom0 or driver domain via a large amount of I/O activity. EPSS estimates a 0.42% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel 5.9.x through 5.11.3, as used with Xen. In some less-common configurations, an x86 PV guest OS user can crash a Dom0 or driver domain via a large amount of I/O activity. The issue relates to misuse of guest physical addresses when a configuration has CONFIG_XEN_UNPOPULATED_ALLOC but not CONFIG_XEN_BALLOON_MEMORY_HOTPLUG.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.42%

34.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-131

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.9.0, <= 5.11.3
Xen	Xen	All versions
Netapp	Cloud Backup	All versions
Netapp	Solidfire Baseboard Management Controller Firmware	All versions

References

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/03/05/2Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-369.htmlPatch, Vendor Advisory
https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=882213990d32fd224340a4533f6318dd152be4b2
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210409-0001/Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/03/05/2Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://xenbits.xen.org/xsa/advisory-369.htmlPatch, Vendor Advisory
https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=882213990d32fd224340a4533f6318dd152be4b2
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210409-0001/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Mar 5, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-28039?

How severe is CVE-2021-28039?

CVE-2021-28039 has a CVSS score of 6.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-28039?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2021-28039?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST