# CVE-2021-25281: SaltStack Salt Improper Authentication vulnerability > Attackers can bypass authentication in salt-api to remotely execute arbitrary wheel modules on the master, leading to full system compromise. - **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 27 Feb 2021 - **Updated:** 19 Nov 2024 - **Also known as:** GHSA-xxw3-765m-f37p, PYSEC-2021-50, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-25281 ## What is CVE-2021-25281? CVE-2021-25281 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 27 Feb 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description An issue was discovered in through SaltStack Salt before 3002.5. salt-api does not honor eauth credentials for the wheel_async client. Thus, an attacker can remotely run any wheel modules on the master. Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-25281? 19 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt. It affects 3 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4, 2016.3.6, 2016.3.8, 2016.11.3, 2016.11.5, 2016.11.10, 2017.7.8, 2019.2.0rc1, 2019.2.5, 2019.2.8, 3000.6, 3001.4, 3002.5 | | `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.13 | | `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.13 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.11.7 | 2016.11.10 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.11.7 | 2016.11.10 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.3.0 | 2016.11.5 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.3.0 | 2016.11.5 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2017.5.0 | 2017.7.8 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2017.5.0 | 2017.7.8 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2018.2.0 to 2018.3.5 | None | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2018.2.0 to 2018.3.5 | None | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2019.2.0 | 2019.2.8 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 2019.2.0 | 2019.2.8 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3000 | 3000.7 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3000 | 3000.7 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3001 | 3001.5 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3001 | 3001.5 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3002 | 3002.3 | | `salt` | PyPI | From 3002 | 3002.3 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Saltstack Salt. ## How do I fix CVE-2021-25281? Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4 or 2016.3.6. ## Is CVE-2021-25281 being exploited? It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-25281 exists. Public exploit code: - Chaining CVE-2021-25281 and CVE-2021-25282 to exploit a SaltStack (github_poc): https://github.com/Immersive-Labs-Sec/CVE-2021-25281 - SaltStack Salt API Unauthenticated RCE through wheel_async client (metasploit) - SaltStack Salt <3002.5 - Auth Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-25281.yaml ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2021-25281 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2021-25281 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 27 Feb 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-25281 exists. Affected packages and fixed versions: - salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4, 2016.3.6, 2016.3.8, 2016.11.3, 2016.11.5, 2016.11.10, 2017.7.8, 2019.2.0rc1, 2019.2.5, 2019.2.8, 3000.6, 3001.4, 3002.5 - salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2015.8.13 - salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2015.8.13 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.11.7; fixed in 2016.11.10 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.11.7; fixed in 2016.11.10 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.3.0; fixed in 2016.11.5 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.3.0; fixed in 2016.11.5 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2017.5.0; fixed in 2017.7.8 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2017.5.0; fixed in 2017.7.8 - salt (PyPI): affected from 2018.2.0 up to 2018.3.5; no fix listed - salt (PyPI): affected from 2018.2.0 up to 2018.3.5; no fix listed - salt (PyPI): affected from 2019.2.0; fixed in 2019.2.8 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-2021-25281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25281/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25281 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25281 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-25281 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25281/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.