# CVE-2021-36230: Missing authorization in n/a

> Attackers can escalate privileges to organization owner via run tokens due to missing authorization checks in Terraform Enterprise API requests.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** AZL-9180, GHSA-6cgg-f8v8-8rxw

## What is CVE-2021-36230?

CVE-2021-36230 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Jul 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

HashiCorp Terraform Enterprise releases up to v202106-1 did not properly perform authorization checks on a subset of API requests executed using the run token, allowing privilege escalation to organization owner. Fixed in v202107-1.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-36230?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hashicorp Terraform.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-36230?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-36230 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-36230 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-9057](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9057/): HashiCorp Terraform Amazon Web Services (AWS) uses an insecure PRNG (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-19316](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19316/): Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm in Terraform (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-4782](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4782/): Terraform Allows Arbitrary File Write During Init Operation (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2025-13432](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13432/): Terraform Enterprise state versions can be created by users with specific permissions without sufficient write access (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-36230 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-36230 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Jul 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-36230 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2021-36230/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36230/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-36230
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-36230
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-36230

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36230/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.