HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-3521
MEDIUM

CVE-2021-3521

CWE-347Published: August 22, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

4.7
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

There is a flaw in RPM's signature functionality. OpenPGP subkeys are associated with a primary key via a "binding signature." RPM does not check the binding signature of subkeys prior to importing them. If an attacker is able to add or socially engineer another party to add a malicious subkey to a legitimate public key, RPM could wrongly trust a malicious signature. The greatest impact of this flaw is to data integrity. To exploit this flaw, an attacker must either compromise an RPM repository or convince an administrator to install an untrusted RPM or public key. It is strongly recommended to only use RPMs and public keys from trusted sources.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-3521 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 4.7.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

rpm1 product(s)
rpm
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (10)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-3521
CVSS Score4.7 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-347
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 22, 2022

Related CVEs (CWE-347)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2021-3521 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.