CVE-2021-4034: Red Hat Polkit Out-of-Bounds Read and Write Vulnerability
CVE-2021-4034 · Severity: critical · CVSS 7.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2022-06-27
The pkexec utility in polkit incorrectly handles calling parameter counts, allowing an attacker to craft environment variables that induce the application to execute arbitrary code. This out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability enables a local unprivileged user to escalate their privileges to administrative (root) rights.
Yes. CVE-2021-4034 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 27 June 2022. Treat it as urgent.
How severe is CVE-2021-4034?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 27 June 2022.
Which products and versions are affected?
Red Hat polkit pkexec utility; freedesktop.org polkit pkexec utility; StarWind Software Command Center 1.0 update3 build 5871; StarWind Software StarWind Virtual SAN v8 build 14338.
Is there a fix for CVE-2021-4034?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2021-4034 attacked?
It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2021-4034?
Check whether you run Red Hat Polkit. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.
Affected products
Red Hat polkit pkexec utility
freedesktop.org polkit pkexec utility
StarWind Software Command Center 1.0 update3 build 5871
StarWind Software StarWind Virtual SAN v8 build 14338
Timeline
2022-01-25: disclosed: Qualys security advisory published
2022-06-27: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog