CVE-2021-25684Public exploit

Service hang via blocking FIFO report read

Published Jun 11, 2021 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Improper input validation in Canonical Apport allows local users to hang crash processing by substituting a FIFO for a report file. The data/apport handler opens an attacker-controlled .crash report path with a blocking read and waits indefinitely when the path is a FIFO without a writer. Local low-privileged access and control of a report pathname are required; alone the flaw interrupts crash handling, while a public exploit chains the stall with separate flaws for privilege escalation.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.57%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Canonical Apport allows local users to hang crash processing by substituting a FIFO for a report file. The data/apport handler opens an attacker-controlled .crash report path with a blocking read and waits indefinitely when the path is a FIFO without a writer. Local low-privileged access and control of a report pathname are required; alone the flaw interrupts crash handling, while a public exploit chains the stall with separate flaws for privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25684
Published
Jun 11, 2021
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Canonical
Product
Apport
Classifications
CWE-20, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record 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

7.8Canonical Ubuntu SecurityCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8Canonical CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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