HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-44964

MEDIUM

CVE-2021-44964

CWE-416Published: March 14, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

6.3

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Use after free in garbage collector and finalizer of lgc.c in Lua interpreter 5.4.0~5.4.3 allows attackers to perform Sandbox Escape via a crafted script file.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-44964 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 availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.3.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorLocal

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.None

User InteractionRequired

ScopeChanged

Impact

ConfidentialityNone

IntegrityNone

AvailabilityHigh

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

lua1 product(s)

lua

Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time

Offensive Security exploit database

GitHub PoC Search

Community PoC repositories

Rapid7 / Metasploit

Metasploit module search

Security advisories & exploits

Official NIST entry

CVE Program entry

External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-11/msg00186.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00007.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00015.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00030.html

ADVISORYhttps://github.com/Lua-Project/lua-5.4.4-sandbox-escape-with-new-vulnerability

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-11/msg00186.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00007.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00015.html

ADVISORYhttp://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00030.html

ADVISORYhttps://github.com/Lua-Project/lua-5.4.4-sandbox-escape-with-new-vulnerability

All References (10)

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-11/msg00186.htmlExploit · Mailing List · Technical Description · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00007.htmlExploit · Mailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00015.htmlMailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00030.htmlMailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

https://github.com/Lua-Project/lua-5.4.4-sandbox-escape-with-new-vulnerabilityExploit · Third Party Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-11/msg00186.htmlExploit · Mailing List · Technical Description · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00007.htmlExploit · Mailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00015.htmlMailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2021-12/msg00030.htmlMailing List · Vendor Advisory

→

https://github.com/Lua-Project/lua-5.4.4-sandbox-escape-with-new-vulnerabilityExploit · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-44964

CVSS Score6.3 / 10

SeverityMEDIUM

WeaknessCWE-416

CISA KEVNo

Affected1 vendor(s)

PublishedMar 14, 2022

Related CVEs (CWE-416)

Recommended Actions

→Apply vendor patches immediately
→Monitor CVE-2021-44964 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.

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