« Back to list

CVE-2021-35938

Status: ModifiedMedium (6.7)—

A symbolic link issue was found in rpm. It occurs when rpm sets the desired permissions and credentials after installing a file. A local unprivileged user could use this flaw to exchange the original file with a symbolic link to a security-critical file and escalate their privileges on the system. 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 (3)

Fedoraproject — FedoraRedhat — Enterprise LinuxRPM — RPM

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
  "id": "CVE-2021-35938",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 6.7,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "HIGH",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 0.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "RPM",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "Fixed in rpm v4.18.0"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2022-08-25T20:15:09.307",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35938",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964114",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157880",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/25a435e90844ea98fe5eb7bef22c1aecf3a9c033",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35938",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964114",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157880",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/25a435e90844ea98fe5eb7bef22c1aecf3a9c033",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Secondary",
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-59"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-59"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "A symbolic link issue was found in rpm. It occurs when rpm sets the desired permissions and credentials after installing a file. A local unprivileged user could use this flaw to exchange the original file with a symbolic link to a security-critical file and escalate their privileges on the system. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Se ha encontrado un problema de enlaces simbólicos en rpm. Es producido cuando rpm establece los permisos y credenciales deseados después de instalar un archivo. Un usuario local no privilegiado podría usar este fallo para cambiar el archivo original por un enlace simbólico a un archivo crítico para la seguridad y escalar sus privilegios en el sistema. La mayor amenaza de esta vulnerabilidad es para la confidencialidad e integridad de los datos, así como para la disponibilidad del sistema."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:57:57.830",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:rpm:rpm:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "2E92EAAF-D2B5-458B-BBF4-363FD16D3931",
              "versionEndExcluding": "4.18.0"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "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: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:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "7F6FB57C-2BC7-487C-96DD-132683AEB35D"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "secalert@redhat.com"
}