CVE-2021-47272: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Bail from dwc3_gadget_exit() if dwc->gadget is NULL There exi...

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Bail from dwc3_gadget_exit() if dwc->gadget is NULL There exists a possible scenario in which dwc3_gadget_init() can fail: during during host -> peripheral mode switch in dwc3_set_mode(), and a pending gadget driver fails to bind. Then, if the DRD undergoes another mode switch from peripheral->host the resulting dwc3_gadget_exit() will attempt to reference an invalid and dangling dwc->gadget pointer as well as call dma_free_coherent() on unmapped DMA pointers. The exact scenario can be reproduced as follows: - Start DWC3 in peripheral mode - Configure ConfigFS gadget with FunctionFS instance (or use g_ffs) - Run FunctionFS userspace application (open EPs, write descriptors, etc) - Bind gadget driver to DWC3's UDC - Switch DWC3 to host mode => dwc3_gadget_exit() is called. usb_del_gadget() will put the ConfigFS driver instance on the gadget_driver_pending_list - Stop FunctionFS application (closes the ep files) - Switch DWC3 to peripheral mode => dwc3_gadget_init() fails as usb_add_gadget() calls check_pending_gadget_drivers() and attempts to rebind the UDC to the ConfigFS gadget but fails with -19 (-ENODEV) because the FFS instance is not in FFS_ACTIVE state (userspace has not re-opened and written the descriptors yet, i.e. desc_ready!=0). - Switch DWC3 back to host mode => dwc3_gadget_exit() is called again, but this time dwc->gadget is invalid. Although it can be argued that userspace should take responsibility for ensuring that the FunctionFS application be ready prior to allowing the composite driver bind to the UDC, failure to do so should not result in a panic from the kernel driver. Fix this by setting dwc->gadget to NULL in the failure path of dwc3_gadget_init() and add a check to dwc3_gadget_exit() to bail out unless the gadget pointer is valid.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.22%

12.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.10, < 5.10.44	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.11, < 5.12.11	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	5.13	Rc1

References

Timeline

Published: May 21, 2024
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-47272?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: dwc3: gadget: Bail from dwc3_gadget_exit() if dwc->gadget is NULL There exists a possible scenario in which dwc3_gadget_init() can fail: during during host -> peripheral mode switch in dwc3_set_mode(), and a pending gadget driver fails to bind. Then, if the DRD undergoes another mode switch from peripheral->host the resulting dwc3_gadget_exit() will attempt to reference an invalid and dangling dwc->gadget pointer as well as call dma_free_coherent() on unmapped DMA pointers. The exact scenario can be reproduced as follows: - Start DWC3 in peripheral mode - Configure ConfigFS gadget with FunctionFS instance (or use g_ffs) - Run FunctionFS userspace application (open EPs, write descriptors, etc) - Bind gadget driver to DWC3's UDC - Switch DWC3 to host mode => dwc3_gadget_exit() is called. usb_del_gadget() will put the ConfigFS driver instance on the gadget_driver_pending_list - Stop FunctionFS application (closes the ep files) - Switch DWC3 to peripheral mode => dwc3_gadget_init() fails as usb_add_gadget() calls check_pending_gadget_drivers() and attempts to rebind the UDC to the ConfigFS gadget but fails with -19 (-ENODEV) because the FFS instance is not in FFS_ACTIVE state (userspace has not re-opened and written the descriptors yet, i.e. desc_ready!=0). - Switch DWC3 back to host mode => dwc3_gadget_exit() is called again, but this time dwc->gadget is invalid. Although it can be argued that userspace should take responsibility for ensuring that the FunctionFS application be ready prior to allowing the composite driver bind to the UDC, failure to do so should not result in a panic from the kernel driver. Fix this by setting dwc->gadget to NULL in the failure path of dwc3_gadget_init() and add a check to dwc3_gadget_exit() to bail out unless the gadget pointer is valid.

How severe is CVE-2021-47272?

CVE-2021-47272 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-47272?

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.