CVE-2021-35939

Name: CVE-2021-35939
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-08-26T16:15:08.683+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 6.7/10EPSS 0.48%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-35939 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.7/10 on the CVSS scale. It was found that the fix for CVE-2017-7500 and CVE-2017-7501 was incomplete: the check was only implemented for the parent directory of the file to be created. A local unprivileged user who owns another ancestor directory could potentially use this flaw to gain root privileges. EPSS estimates a 0.48% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

It was found that the fix for CVE-2017-7500 and CVE-2017-7501 was incomplete: the check was only implemented for the parent directory of the file to be created. A local unprivileged user who owns another ancestor directory could potentially use this flaw to gain root privileges. 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

0.48%

37.8th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Rpm	Rpm	< 4.18
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	8.0

References

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35939Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964129Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/96ec957e281220f8e137a2d5eb23b83a6377d556Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-35939Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1964129Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/commit/96ec957e281220f8e137a2d5eb23b83a6377d556Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rpm-software-management/rpm/pull/1919Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-22Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 26, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-35939?

How severe is CVE-2021-35939?

CVE-2021-35939 has a CVSS score of 6.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.48% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-35939?

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-2021-35939?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST