CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2021-3489 — Linux Linux Kernel security vulnerability

High CVSS 7.8

The eBPF RINGBUF bpf_ringbuf_reserve() function in the Linux kernel did not check that the allocated size was smaller than the ringbuf size, allowing an attacker to perform out-of-bounds writes within the kernel and therefore, arbitrary code execution. This issue was fixed via commit 4b81ccebaeee ("bpf, ringbuf: Deny reserve of buffers larger than ringbuf") (v5.13-rc4) and backported to the stable kernels in v5.12.4, v5.11.21, and v5.10.37. It was introduced via 457f44363a88 ("bpf: Implement BPF ring buffer and verifier support for it") (v5.8-rc1).

Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Published
2021-06-04
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
linux/kernel
Weaknesses
CWE-119, CWE-787

Affected products

  • linux / linux_kernel
  • linux / linux_kernel / 5.13
  • canonical / ubuntu_linux / 20.04
  • canonical / ubuntu_linux / 20.10
  • canonical / ubuntu_linux / 21.04

Showing 5 representative product identities from 10 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Buffer bounds, memory safety, and memory corruption

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Identify affected native-code versions, build flags, architectures, parsers, codecs, drivers, and input paths in all shipped artifacts.
  • Determine whether untrusted data reaches the affected routine and the process privilege, sandbox, and network exposure.
  • Confirm statically linked, vendored, firmware, and platform-provided copies, not only package-manager records.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained upstream correction or replace the affected component, then rebuild every dependent artifact from clean inputs.
  • Adopt bounds-checked interfaces, validated sizes and integer conversions, clear ownership, and memory-safe components where practical.
  • Enable supported compiler and runtime hardening and add sanitized tests and fuzz regression seeds derived from non-weaponized fixtures.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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