CVE-2021-3521

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.

Category

4.7
CVSS
Severity: Medium
CVSS 3.1 •
EPSS 0.03%
Vendor Advisory gentoo.org
Affected: n/a RPM
Published at:
Updated at:

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the severity of CVE-2021-3521?
CVE-2021-3521 has been scored as a medium severity vulnerability.
How to fix CVE-2021-3521?
To fix CVE-2021-3521, make sure you are using an up-to-date version of the affected component(s) by checking the vendor release notes. As for now, there are no other specific guidelines available.
Is CVE-2021-3521 being actively exploited in the wild?
As for now, there are no information to confirm that CVE-2021-3521 is being actively exploited. According to its EPSS score, there is a ~0% probability that this vulnerability will be exploited by malicious actors in the next 30 days.
What software or system is affected by CVE-2021-3521?
CVE-2021-3521 affects n/a RPM.
This platform uses data from the NIST NVD, MITRE CVE, MITRE CWE, First.org and CISA KEV but is not endorsed or certified by these entities. CVE is a registred trademark of the MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. CWE is a registred trademark of the MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CWE content is MITRE's CWE web site.
© 2025 Under My Watch. All Rights Reserved.