# CVE-2021-20532: Privilege escalation in Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments

> A local user can escalate privileges to gain full system control due to insecure directory permissions in the IBM Spectrum Protect Client.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AC:H/PR:N/C:H/UI:N/I:H/S:U/A:H/AV:L/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hgpr-h782-x3x8

## What is CVE-2021-20532?

CVE-2021-20532 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments, published on 26 Apr 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Spectrum Protect Client 8.1.0.0 through 8.1.11.0 could allow a local user to escalate their privileges to take full control of the system due to insecure directory permissions. IBM X-Force ID: 198811.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20532?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Ibm Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client, Ibm Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20532?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20532 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20532 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20532 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments

- [CVE-2023-28956](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28956/): IBM Spectrum Protect Backup-Archive Client privilege escalation (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2021-39048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39048/): Memory corruption in Spectrum Protect (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2018-1853](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1853/): Cross-site scripting in Spectrum Protect (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2018-1787](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1787/): Information disclosure in Spectrum Protect (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2018-1882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1882/): Information disclosure in Spectrum Protect (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20532 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20532 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments, published on 26 Apr 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20532 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Spectrum Protect for Virtual Environments. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20532/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20532/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20532
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20532
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20532

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20532/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.