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CVE-2021-42097

Status: ModifiedHigh (8)—

GNU Mailman before 2.1.35 may allow remote Privilege Escalation. A csrf_token value is not specific to a single user account. An attacker can obtain a value within the context of an unprivileged user account, and then use that value in a CSRF attack against an admin (e.g., for account takeover).

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 (2)

Debian — Debian LinuxGNU — Mailman

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2021-42097",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 8.5,
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "SINGLE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 6.8,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": true
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 8,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.1
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2021-10-21T01:15:06.940",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/10/21/4",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.launchpad.net/mailman/+bug/1947640",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://mail.python.org/archives/list/mailman-announce%40python.org/thread/IKCO6JU755AP5G5TKMBJL6IEZQTTNPDQ/",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4991",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/10/21/4",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.launchpad.net/mailman/+bug/1947640",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://mail.python.org/archives/list/mailman-announce%40python.org/thread/IKCO6JU755AP5G5TKMBJL6IEZQTTNPDQ/",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4991",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-352"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "GNU Mailman before 2.1.35 may allow remote Privilege Escalation. A csrf_token value is not specific to a single user account. An attacker can obtain a value within the context of an unprivileged user account, and then use that value in a CSRF attack against an admin (e.g., for account takeover)."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "GNU Mailman versiones anteriores a 2.1.35, puede permitir una escalada de privilegios remota. Un valor csrf_token no es específico de una sola cuenta de usuario. Un atacante puede obtener un valor dentro del contexto de una cuenta de usuario sin privilegios, y luego usar ese valor en un ataque de tipo CSRF contra un administrador (por ejemplo, para la toma de posesión de la cuenta)"
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T04:09:18.743",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:gnu:mailman:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "CDD63075-218B-47B2-9E0B-FE13FAEDEDAB",
              "versionEndExcluding": "2.1.35"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "07B237A9-69A3-4A9C-9DA0-4E06BD37AE73"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}