CVE-2021-46971: perf/core: Fix unconditional security_locked_down() call

Severity: low (CVSS 3.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2024-02-27 · updated 2026-06-17

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Fix unconditional security_locked_down() call Currently, the lockdown state is queried unconditionally, even though its result is used only if the PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_INTR bit is set in attr.sample_type. While that doesn't matter in case of the Lockdown LSM, it causes trouble with the SELinux's lockdown hook implementation. SELinux implements the locked_down hook with a check whether the current task's type has the corresponding "lockdown" class permission ("integrity" or "confidentiality") allowed in the policy. This means that calling the hook when the access control decision would be ignored generates a bogus permission check and audit record. Fix this by checking sample_type first and only calling the hook when its result would be honored.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 5.4 before 5.4.117; from 5.5 before 5.10.35; from 5.11 before 5.11.19; from 5.12 before 5.12.2 — fixed in 5.10.35, 5.11.19, 5.12.2, 5.4.117

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 5.10.35, 5.11.19, 5.12.2, 5.4.117. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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