# CVE-2021-3504: Memory corruption in hivex > A lack of bounds checking in the hivex library allows attackers to cause crashes or read out-of-bounds memory via crafted registry files. - **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 11 May 2021 - **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** AZL-6472, CLSA-2021-1624372464, DEBIAN-CVE-2021-3504, DLA-2656-1, DSA-4913-1, GHSA-5vp3-c6x6-5464, MGASA-2021-0320, OESA-2021-1200, RHSA-2021:2318, SUSE-SU-2021:1760-1, SUSE-SU-2021:1761-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-3504, USN-5148-1, USN-5148-2, openSUSE-SU-2021:0806-1, openSUSE-SU-2021:1761-1 ## What is CVE-2021-3504? CVE-2021-3504 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 May 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description A flaw was found in the hivex library in versions before 1.3.20. It is caused due to a lack of bounds check within the hivex_open function. An attacker could input a specially crafted Windows Registry (hive) file which would cause hivex to read memory beyond its normal bounds or cause the program to crash. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability. Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-3504? It affects 4 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `perl-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `python-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ruby-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `perl-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `python-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ruby-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ocaml-hivex-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `perl-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `python-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `ruby-hivex` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:1.3.10-6.11.el7_9 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.0 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP2 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP3 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.3.10-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.3.10-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.3.10-5.3.1 | | `hivex` | openSUSE:Leap 15.2 | All versions | 1.3.14-lp152.4.3.1 | | `hivex` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 1.3.14-5.3.1 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Hivex. ## How do I fix CVE-2021-3504? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2021-3504 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-3504 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## 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-2021-3504 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2021-3504 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 11 May 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-3504 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2021-3504/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3504/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-3504 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3504 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-3504 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3504/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.