CVE-2021-21272Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Host file overwrite via unchecked archive links

Published Jan 25, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Path traversal in ORAS CLI 0.4.0 through 0.8.1 allows remote attackers to overwrite host files via a crafted registry artifact. The pkg/content extractTarDirectory routine follows tar symbolic and hard-link targets without confirming that resolved paths remain beneath the chosen output directory. Exploitation requires a user to run oras pull against the malicious artifact, and writes inherit that user's filesystem permissions.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability1.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in ORAS CLI 0.4.0 through 0.8.1 allows remote attackers to overwrite host files via a crafted registry artifact. The pkg/content extractTarDirectory routine follows tar symbolic and hard-link targets without confirming that resolved paths remain beneath the chosen output directory. Exploitation requires a user to run oras pull against the malicious artifact, and writes inherit that user's filesystem permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21272
Published
Jan 25, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
ORAS Project
Product
ORAS CLI
Classifications
CWE-22, CWE-59, CAPEC-126, CAPEC-132, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 25, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 0.4.0, < 0.9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ORAS Project · ORAS CLIversion=>= 0.4.0, < 0.9.0

Published CVSS scores

7.7GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
7.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CAPEC-126Path Traversal
CAPEC-132Symlink Attack
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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