CVE-2021-25682

Local privilege escalation via malformed proc status parsing

Published Jun 11, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Improper input validation in Canonical Apport allows local users to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code via malformed /proc data. The get_pid_info() function in data/apport incorrectly parses attacker-influenced /proc/pid/status contents. A low-privilege local account and an Apport-processed crash are required; Canonical has not disclosed the precise malformed field or parsing error.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.45%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Canonical Apport allows local users to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code via malformed /proc data. The get_pid_info() function in data/apport incorrectly parses attacker-influenced /proc/pid/status contents. A low-privilege local account and an Apport-processed crash are required; Canonical has not disclosed the precise malformed field or parsing error.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25682
Published
Jun 11, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Canonical
Product
Apport
Classifications
CWE-74, CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=2.20.11-0ubuntu27 <2.20.11-0ubuntu27.16
  2. Affected versionversion=2.20.11-0ubuntu50 <2.20.11-0ubuntu50.5
  3. Affected versionversion=2.20.1 <2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30
  4. Affected versionversion=2.20.9 <2.20.9-0ubuntu7.23

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Canonical · Apportversion=2.20.11-0ubuntu27 <2.20.11-0ubuntu27.16; version=2.20.11-0ubuntu50 <2.20.11-0ubuntu50.5; version=2.20.1 <2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30; version=2.20.9 <2.20.9-0ubuntu7.23

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8Canonical Ltd.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo