# CVE-2021-32557: apport process_report() arbitrary file write

> An attacker can write arbitrary files via symlink exploitation in the apport whoopsie-upload-all script, potentially compromising system integrity.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 12 Jun 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-ggh9-6q6m-3fh2, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32557

## What is CVE-2021-32557?

CVE-2021-32557 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical apport, published on 12 Jun 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

It was discovered that the process_report() function in data/whoopsie-upload-all allowed arbitrary file writes via symlinks.

Weakness: CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following), CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-32557?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Canonical Apport.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-32557?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2021-32557 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32557 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical apport

- [CVE-2021-25682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25682/): apport improperly parses /proc/pid/status (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-25683](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25683/): apport improperly parses /proc/pid/stat (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-25684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25684/): apport can be stalled by reading a FIFO (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-3899](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3899/): Race condition in Apport (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-1242](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1242/): Other in Apport (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-32557 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-32557 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical apport, published on 12 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-2021-32557 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical apport. 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-2021-32557/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32557/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32557
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32557
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-32557

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32557/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.