CVE-2021-35938

Name: CVE-2021-35938
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-08-25T20:15:09.307+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.7/10EPSS 0.49%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-35938 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.7/10 on the CVSS scale. A symbolic link issue was found in rpm. It occurs when rpm sets the desired permissions and credentials after installing a file. EPSS estimates a 0.49% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

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.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.7/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.49%

38.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Rpm	Rpm	< 4.18.0
Fedoraproject	Fedora	34
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	7.0
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	8.0
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	9.0

References

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35938Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964114Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157880Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/25a435e90844ea98fe5eb7bef22c1aecf3a9c033Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0Release Notes
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35938Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964114Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157880Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/25a435e90844ea98fe5eb7bef22c1aecf3a9c033Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0Release Notes
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 25, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-35938?

How severe is CVE-2021-35938?

CVE-2021-35938 has a CVSS score of 6.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.49% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-35938?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2021-35938?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST