TI-2021-14393 Aliases CVE-2021-35938 GHSA-83gm-5269-qr3v

Link following in RPM

LOW 30CWE-59Published 2022-08-25 · Updated 2024-08-04

Key facts

Attack vector: Local
Privileges required: High
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: —
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: Partial Red Hat: 14 fixed, 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

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.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00519 44th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD

Fix Partial Red Hat: 8 advisoriesRed Hat: 14 fixed, 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
—	RPM	Fixed in rpm v4.18.0	—	No fix listed	CNA

RPM Vendor— Affected Fixed in rpm v4.18.0 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:rpm:rpm::::::::	before 4.18.0	Vulnerable	Rpm
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:::::::*	34	Vulnerable	Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:::::::*	7.0	Vulnerable	Red Hat
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:::::::*	8.0	Vulnerable	Red Hat
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:::::::*	9.0	Vulnerable	Red Hat

cpe:2.3:a:rpm:rpm:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 4.18.0 Vulnerable ·Rpm
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 34 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat

Remediation

Red Hat 8 advisories

RHSA-2024:1477 Released 2024-03-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
Red Hat OpenShift for Windows Containers 8.1.2 security update
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.13 openshift4-wincw/windows-machine-config-operator-bundle, openshift4-wincw/windows-machine-config-rhel9-operator
RHSA-2024:1383 Released 2024-03-19 · Red Hat rating Important
Red Hat OpenShift Data Foundation 4.15.0 security, enhancement, & bug fix update
- RHODF 4.15 for RHEL 9 odf4/cephcsi-rhel9, odf4/mcg-core-rhel9, odf4/mcg-operator-bundle +23
RHSA-2024:0647 Released 2024-02-01 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) rpm-build-4.14.3-28.el8_9, rpm-plugin-fapolicyd-4.14.3-28.el8_9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) python3-rpm-4.14.3-28.el8_9, rpm-4.14.3-28.el8_9, rpm-apidocs-4.14.3-28.el8_9 +10

Show 5 more Red Hat advisories

RHSA-2024:0582 Released 2024-01-30 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.8) rpm-build-4.14.3-28.el8_8, rpm-plugin-fapolicyd-4.14.3-28.el8_8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8) python3-rpm-4.14.3-28.el8_8, rpm-4.14.3-28.el8_8, rpm-apidocs-4.14.3-28.el8_8 +10
RHSA-2024:0435 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.0) rpm-apidocs-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1, rpm-build-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1, rpm-cron-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.0) python3-rpm-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1, rpm-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1, rpm-build-libs-4.16.1.3-14.el9_0.1 +5
RHSA-2024:0463 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) rpm-apidocs-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3, rpm-build-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3, rpm-cron-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) python3-rpm-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3, rpm-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3, rpm-build-libs-4.16.1.3-27.el9_3 +5
RHSA-2024:0453 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2) rpm-apidocs-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2, rpm-build-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2, rpm-cron-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2) python3-rpm-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2, rpm-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2, rpm-build-libs-4.16.1.3-24.el9_2 +5
RHSA-2024:0424 Released 2024-01-25 · Red Hat rating Moderate
rpm security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6) rpm-build-4.14.3-26.el8_6, rpm-plugin-fapolicyd-4.14.3-26.el8_6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6) python3-rpm-4.14.3-26.el8_6, rpm-4.14.3-26.el8_6, rpm-apidocs-4.14.3-26.el8_6 +10

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

Advisory · 2022-08-22
RPM — GLSA-202210-22
4 records Highest priority Priority LOW 4 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2021-14394 Link following in RPMPriority LOW 30
- TI-2021-14392 Link following in RPMPriority LOW 28
- TI-2021-02480 Improper signature verification in RPMPriority LOW 22
Show all 4 records → Advisory →

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Product	Status	Plan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6	Affected	No fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	Affected	No fix planned: Out of support scope
RHODF 4.15 for RHEL 9	Fixed	RHSA-2024:1383
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0647
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0463
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.6)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0424
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.8.8)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0582
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.0)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0435
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.2)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0453
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0647
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0463
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.6)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0424
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.8.8)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0582
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.0)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0435
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.2)	Fixed	RHSA-2024:0453
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.13	Fixed	RHSA-2024:1477

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-35938
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-83gm-5269-qr3v

References

Exploit 1

https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157880

Patch 2

Advisory 3

Other 1

https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.18.0

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences