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CVE-2021-32550· NVD / CVE Program· CNA canonical

apport read_file() function could follow maliciously constructed symbolic links

It was discovered that read_file() in apport/hookutils.py would follow symbolic links or open FIFOs. When this function is used by the openjdk-14 package apport hooks, it could expose private data to other local users.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit No fix recorded
Published
Jun 12, 2021
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
0.3% · 19th percentile
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Report tools

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Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.3%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
5.5
CNA · canonical
7.3
1.8 point gap

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

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
canonicalubuntu linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • canonical ubuntu linux18.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux20.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux20.10
  • canonical ubuntu linux21.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux21.10

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (canonical). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Canonical apport

    • 2.20.1 and later · before 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm1affected
    • 2.20.9 and later · before 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.24affected
    • 2.20.11-0ubuntu27 and later · before 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18affected
    • 2.20.11-0ubuntu50 and later · before 2.20.11-0ubuntu50.7affected
    • 2.20.11-0ubuntu65 and later · before 2.20.11-0ubuntu65.1affected
    • 2.14.1-0ubuntu3 and later · before 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm7affected

Same product

canonical: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2021-3493The overlayfs implementation in the linux kernel did not properly validate with respect to user namespaces the setting of file capabilities KEV
    76This week
  • CVE-2017-14492Heap-based buffer overflow in dnsmasq before 2.78 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute arbitrary code via
    67This week
  • CVE-2017-14493Stack-based buffer overflow in dnsmasq before 2.78 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute arbitrary code vi
    64This week
  • CVE-2016-4553client_side.cc in Squid before 3.5.18 and 4.x before 4.0.10 does not properly ignore the Host header when absolute-URI is provided, which al
    58Plan
  • CVE-2017-14495Memory leak in dnsmasq before 2.78, when the --add-mac, --add-cpe-id or --add-subnet option is specified, allows remote attackers to cause a
    55Plan
  • CVE-2016-4054Buffer overflow in Squid 3.x before 3.5.17 and 4.x before 4.0.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted Edge Side Incl
    55Plan

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.

We use this product, ask for help

Change log

No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.

References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records