CVE-2021-3569

swtpm crash via undersized RSA output buffer

Published Jun 3, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Stack corruption in libtpms before 0.7.2 and before 0.8.0 allows local users to crash swtpm during RSA decryption. CryptRsaDecrypt supplies EVP_PKEY_decrypt with the destination buffer while setting the output length to the ciphertext size, so a larger decrypted result overwrites the stack; the correction decrypts into a maximum-key-sized temporary buffer and checks the destination capacity. Local access to a consumer exposing TPM commands is required, and successful exploitation terminates the swtpm process without reported confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Stack corruption in libtpms before 0.7.2 and before 0.8.0 allows local users to crash swtpm during RSA decryption. CryptRsaDecrypt supplies EVP_PKEY_decrypt with the destination buffer while setting the output length to the ciphertext size, so a larger decrypted result overwrites the stack; the correction decrypts into a maximum-key-sized temporary buffer and checks the destination capacity. Local access to a consumer exposing TPM commands is required, and successful exploitation terminates the swtpm process without reported confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3569
Published
Jun 3, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
libtpms Project
Product
libtpms
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-120, T1489
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 3, 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=libtpms 0.7.2, libtpms 0.8.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

libtpms Project · libtpmsversion=libtpms 0.7.2, libtpms 0.8.0

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.2SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
T1489Service Stop

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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