CVE-2021-36978
MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 1.27%
Last modified
CVE-2021-36978 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. QPDF 9.x through 9.1.1 and 10.x through 10.0.4 has a heap-based buffer overflow in Pl_ASCII85Decoder::write (called from Pl_AES_PDF::flush and Pl_AES_PDF::finish) when a certain downstream write fails.. EPSS estimates a 1.27% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Description
QPDF 9.x through 9.1.1 and 10.x through 10.0.4 has a heap-based buffer overflow in Pl_ASCII85Decoder::write (called from Pl_AES_PDF::flush and Pl_AES_PDF::finish) when a certain downstream write fails.
Metrics
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness Enumeration
Affected Software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Qpdf Project | Qpdf | >= 9.0.0, <= 9.1.1 |
| Qpdf Project | Qpdf | >= 10.0.0, <= 10.0.4 |
References
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=28262Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/blob/main/vulns/qpdf/OSV-2020-2245.yamlThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/qpdf/qpdf/commit/dc92574c10f3e2516ec6445b88c5d584f40df4e5Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=28262Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/blob/main/vulns/qpdf/OSV-2020-2245.yamlThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/qpdf/qpdf/commit/dc92574c10f3e2516ec6445b88c5d584f40df4e5Patch, Third Party Advisory
Timeline
- Published
- Last Modified
- Status
- Modified
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2021-36978?
QPDF 9.x through 9.1.1 and 10.x through 10.0.4 has a heap-based buffer overflow in Pl_ASCII85Decoder::write (called from Pl_AES_PDF::flush and Pl_AES_PDF::finish) when a certain downstream write fails.
How severe is CVE-2021-36978?
CVE-2021-36978 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.27% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2021-36978?
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.
How Strix Helps
- How Strix found a critical auth bypass in etcdStrix autonomously discovered a critical authentication bypass in etcd, later designated CVE-2026-33413.
- Autonomous PentestingAI agents that find and validate exploitable vulnerabilities like this one across your applications.
- PR ReviewsPentest every pull request so vulnerable code is caught before it ships to production.
- AI Penetration TestingHow AI-driven penetration testing continuously covers your attack surface.
Related CVEs from 2021
- CVE-2021-36972Windows SMB Information Disclosure Vulnerability5.5
- CVE-2021-36973Windows Redirected Drive Buffering System Elevation of Privi…7.8
- CVE-2021-36974Windows SMB Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability7.8
- CVE-2021-36975Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability7.8
- CVE-2021-36976libarchive 3.4.1 through 3.5.1 has a use-after-free in copy_…6.5
- CVE-2021-36977matio (aka MAT File I/O Library) 1.5.20 and 1.5.21 has a hea…6.5
- CVE-2021-36979Unicorn Engine 1.0.2 has an out-of-bounds write in tb_flush_…5.5
- CVE-2021-3698A flaw was found in Cockpit in versions prior to 260 in the …7.5
- CVE-2021-36980Open vSwitch (aka openvswitch) 2.11.0 through 2.15.0 has a u…5.5
- CVE-2021-36981In the server in SerNet verinice before 1.22.2, insecure Jav…8.8
- CVE-2021-36982AIMANAGER before B115 on MONITORAPP Application Insight Web …8.1
- CVE-2021-36983replay-sorcery-kms in Replay Sorcery 0.6.0 allows a local at…7.8
Are you affected by CVE-2021-36978?
Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.
Scan your code nowSource: NVD / NIST