« Back to list

CVE-2021-20233

Status: ModifiedHigh (8.2)—

A flaw was found in grub2 in versions prior to 2.06. Setparam_prefix() in the menu rendering code performs a length calculation on the assumption that expressing a quoted single quote will require 3 characters, while it actually requires 4 characters which allows an attacker to corrupt memory by one byte for each quote in the input. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (8)

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
  "id": "CVE-2021-20233",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 7.2,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "CHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 8.2,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "HIGH",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.5
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "grub2",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "grub 2.06"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2021-03-03T17:15:12.037",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1926263",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZWZ36QK4IKU6MWDWNOOWKPH3WXZBHT2R/",
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202104-05",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220325-0001/",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1926263",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ZWZ36QK4IKU6MWDWNOOWKPH3WXZBHT2R/",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202104-05",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220325-0001/",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Secondary",
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-787"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-787"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "A flaw was found in grub2 in versions prior to 2.06. Setparam_prefix() in the menu rendering code performs a length calculation on the assumption that expressing a quoted single quote will require 3 characters, while it actually requires 4 characters which allows an attacker to corrupt memory by one byte for each quote in the input. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Se encontró un fallo en grub2 en versiones anteriores a  2.06. La función Setparam_prefix() en el código de renderización del menú lleva a cabo un cálculo de longitud asumiendo que expresar una comilla simple entre comillas requerirá 3 caracteres, mientras que actualmente requiere 4 caracteres, lo que permite a un atacante corromper la memoria por un byte para cada comilla en la entrada. La mayor amenaza de esta vulnerabilidad es la confidencialidad e integridad de los datos, así como la disponibilidad del sistema"
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:33:31.160",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:gnu:grub2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "01F8D62F-70BB-4718-A095-D68540C17EEA",
              "versionEndExcluding": "2.06"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "142AD0DD-4CF3-4D74-9442-459CE3347E3A"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "F4CFF558-3C47-480D-A2F0-BABF26042943"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "1C8D871B-AEA1-4407-AEE3-47EC782250FF"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "98381E61-F082-4302-B51F-5648884F998B"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "D99A687E-EAE6-417E-A88E-D0082BC194CD"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "B353CE99-D57C-465B-AAB0-73EF581127D1"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "7431ABC1-9252-419E-8CC1-311B41360078"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "6897676D-53F9-45B3-B27F-7FF9A4C58D33"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_eus:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "BF77CDCF-B9C9-427D-B2BF-36650FB2148C"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_eus:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "21690BAC-2129-4A33-9B48-1F3BF30072A9"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_eus:8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "F2FF6D89-9361-45B9-ABCC-1A5E600BD63C"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "D5F7E11E-FB34-4467-8919-2B6BEAABF665"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "B76AA310-FEC7-497F-AF04-C3EC1E76C4CC"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "17F256A9-D3B9-4C72-B013-4EFD878BFEA8"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "B09ACF2D-D83F-4A86-8185-9569605D8EE1"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "825ECE2D-E232-46E0-A047-074B34DB1E97"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "E460AA51-FCDA-46B9-AE97-E6676AA5E194"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "A930E247-0B43-43CB-98FF-6CE7B8189835"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "E7CF3019-975D-40BB-A8A4-894E62BD3797"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "secalert@redhat.com"
}