# CVE-2021-25321: arpwatch: Local privilege escalation from runtime user to root > Local attackers with runtime user control can escalate privileges to root via symlink following in arpwatch upon service restart. - **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Local or same network only - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 30 Jun 2021 - **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024 - **Also known as:** GHSA-p5jf-rf9m-p26h, MGASA-2021-0515, SUSE-SU-2021:14759-1, SUSE-SU-2021:2175-1, SUSE-SU-2021:2177-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-25321, openSUSE-SU-2021:0945-1, openSUSE-SU-2021:2177-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:10634-1 ## What is CVE-2021-25321? CVE-2021-25321 is a high-severity vulnerability in SUSE Factory, published on 30 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in arpwatch of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS, SUSE Manager Server 4.0, SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9; openSUSE Factory, Leap 15.2 allows local attackers with control of the runtime user to run arpwatch as to escalate to root upon the next restart of arpwatch. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS arpwatch versions prior to 2.1a15. SUSE Manager Server 4.0 arpwatch versions prior to 2.1a15. SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 arpwatch versions prior to 2.1a15. openSUSE Factory arpwatch version 2.1a15-169.5 and prior versions. openSUSE Leap 15.2 arpwatch version 2.1a15-lp152.5.5 and prior versions. Weakness: CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-25321? It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 6 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | All versions | 2.1a15-131.23.2.6.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-131.23.2.6.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Manager Proxy 4.0 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:Manager Server 4.0 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 8 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 9 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | All versions | 2.1a15-159.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | openSUSE:Leap 15.2 | All versions | 2.1a15-lp152.6.9.1 | | `arpwatch` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 2.1a15-5.12.1 | | `arpwatch` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 3.1-1.2 | Products: Suse Arpwatch. ## How do I fix CVE-2021-25321? Apply the vendor's patch. ## Is CVE-2021-25321 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-25321 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2021-25321 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2021-25321 is a high-severity vulnerability in SUSE Factory, published on 30 Jun 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-2021-25321 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: SUSE Factory. 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-2021-25321/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25321/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-25321 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25321 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-25321 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25321/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.