CVE-2021-46994: linux kernel vulnerability

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: mcp251x: fix resume from sleep before interface was brought up Since 8ce8c0abcba3 the driver queues work via priv->restart_work when resuming after suspend, even when the interface was not previously enabled. This causes a null dereference error as the workqueue is only allocated and initialized in mcp251x_open(). To fix this we move the workqueue init to mcp251x_can_probe() as there is no reason to do it later and repeat it whenever mcp251x_open() is called. [mkl: fix error handling in mcp251x_stop()]

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2021-46994, a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) affecting linux kernel, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether linux kernel is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
• Reference
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