CVE-2021-4034

polkit: Local privilege escalation in pkexec due to incorrect handling of argument vector

Published Jan 28, 2022 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS 94.9% KEV · Listed
Description
A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found on polkit's pkexec utility. The pkexec application is a setuid tool designed to allow unprivileged users to run commands as privileged users according predefined policies. The current version of pkexec doesn't handle the calling parameters count correctly and ends trying to execute environment variables as commands. An attacker can leverage this by crafting environment variables in such a way it'll induce pkexec to execute arbitrary code. When successfully executed the attack can cause a local privilege escalation given unprivileged users administrative rights on the target machine.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-2899-1 policykit-1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5059-1 policykit-1 security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-5252-1 PolicyKit vulnerability
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-5252-2 PolicyKit vulnerability
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.8831}

epss

{'score': 0.88697}

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:starwindsoftware:starwind_hyperconverged_appliance:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Starwindsoftware starwind Hyperconverged Appliance
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics kev

{'dateAdded': '2022-06-27'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'active', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
redhat
Published
Updated
Aug 15, 2026, 3:55 AM
Reserved
Nov 29, 2021, 12:00 AM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Jan 28, 2022, 8:15 PM
Modified
Aug 15, 2026, 4:17 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Jan 25, 2022, 5:00 PM