MEDIUM
CVE-2021-42375
CWE-159Published: November 15, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
An incorrect handling of a special element in Busybox's ash applet leads to denial of service when processing a crafted shell command, due to the shell mistaking specific characters for reserved characters. This may be used for DoS under rare conditions of filtered command input.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-42375 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (10)
→
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211223-0002/Third Party Advisory
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https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211223-0002/Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-42375
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-159
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 15, 2021
Related CVEs (CWE-159)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-42375 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.