CVE-2021-31916

Name: CVE-2021-31916
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-05-06T17:15:08.143+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.7/10EPSS 0.72%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-31916 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.7/10 on the CVSS scale. An out-of-bounds (OOB) memory write flaw was found in list_devices in drivers/md/dm-ioctl.c in the Multi-device driver module in the Linux kernel before 5.12. A bound check failure allows an attacker with special user (CAP_SYS_ADMIN) privilege to gain access to out-of-bounds memory leading to a system crash or a leak of internal kernel information. EPSS estimates a 0.72% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

An out-of-bounds (OOB) memory write flaw was found in list_devices in drivers/md/dm-ioctl.c in the Multi-device driver module in the Linux kernel before 5.12. A bound check failure allows an attacker with special user (CAP_SYS_ADMIN) privilege to gain access to out-of-bounds memory leading to a system crash or a leak of internal kernel information. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.7/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.72%

49.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-787

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 5.12
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	7.0
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	8.0
Debian	Debian Linux	9.0

References

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1946965Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/4edbe1d7bcffcd6269f3b5eb63f710393ff2ec7aPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/06/msg00019.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/06/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2021/q1/268Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1946965Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/4edbe1d7bcffcd6269f3b5eb63f710393ff2ec7aPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/06/msg00019.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/06/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2021/q1/268Mailing List, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 6, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-31916?

How severe is CVE-2021-31916?

CVE-2021-31916 has a CVSS score of 6.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.72% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-31916?

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-2021-31916?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST