CVE-2021-29741

Root privilege escalation via undisclosed Korn Shell flaw

Published Aug 2, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Korn Shell on IBM AIX 7.1, AIX 7.2, and VIOS 3.1 allows local users to gain root privileges. IBM identifies the affected locus as the bos.rte.shell fileset but has not published the flawed operation or attacker-controlled input within ksh. Local execution is required, and successful exploitation grants full root control of the affected AIX or VIOS environment.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Korn Shell on IBM AIX 7.1, AIX 7.2, and VIOS 3.1 allows local users to gain root privileges. IBM identifies the affected locus as the bos.rte.shell fileset but has not published the flawed operation or attacker-controlled input within ksh. Local execution is required, and successful exploitation grants full root control of the affected AIX or VIOS environment.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29741
Published
Aug 2, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
AIX
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 2, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=7.1
  2. Affected versionversion=7.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · AIXversion=7.1; version=7.2
IBM · PowerVM Virtual I/O Serverversion=3.1

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.4IBMCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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