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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-20284

🗓️ 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 5 Views

Linux host has unpatched vulnerability CVE-2021-20284 affecting GNU Binutils, risking system availability.

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Refs
Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(223627);
  script_version("1.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2025/09/05");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2021-20284");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-20284");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - A flaw was found in GNU Binutils 2.35.1, where there is a heap-based buffer overflow in
    _bfd_elf_slurp_secondary_reloc_section in elf.c due to the number of symbols not calculated correctly. The
    highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability. (CVE-2021-20284)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2021-20284");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-20284");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:POC/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2021-20284");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2021/03/26");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/03/04");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:centos:centos:8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:gcc-toolset-10-binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:gcc-toolset-10-binutils-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:gcc-toolset-10-binutils");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:gcc-toolset-10-binutils-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("set_linux_os_id.nasl", "ssh_get_info2.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/OS/identifier", "Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/CentOS Linux-8", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux-8");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/CentOS/rpm-list")) && empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l")) && empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/RedHat/rpm-list"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-11": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "11",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "binutils"},
          {"reference": "binutils-aarch64-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-aarch64-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-alpha-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-alpha-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-arm-linux-gnueabi"},
          {"reference": "binutils-arm-linux-gnueabi-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-arm-linux-gnueabihf"},
          {"reference": "binutils-arm-linux-gnueabihf-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-common"},
          {"reference": "binutils-dev"},
          {"reference": "binutils-doc"},
          {"reference": "binutils-for-build"},
          {"reference": "binutils-for-host"},
          {"reference": "binutils-hppa-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-hppa-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-hppa64-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-hppa64-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-i686-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-i686-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-ia64-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-ia64-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-m68k-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-m68k-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-multiarch"},
          {"reference": "binutils-multiarch-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-multiarch-dev"},
          {"reference": "binutils-powerpc64le-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-powerpc64le-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-s390x-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-s390x-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "binutils-source"},
          {"reference": "binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu"},
          {"reference": "binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu-dbg"},
          {"reference": "libbinutils"},
          {"reference": "libbinutils-dbg"},
          {"reference": "libctf-nobfd0"},
          {"reference": "libctf-nobfd0-dbg"},
          {"reference": "libctf0"},
          {"reference": "libctf0-dbg"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "CentOS Linux-8": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "8",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "gcc-toolset-10-binutils"},
          {"reference": "gcc-toolset-10-binutils-devel"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Red Hat Enterprise Linux-8": {
    "package_manager": "rpm-list",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "8",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "gcc-toolset-10-binutils"},
          {"reference": "gcc-toolset-10-binutils-devel"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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05 Sep 2025 00:00Current
7.2High risk
Vulners AI Score7.2
CVSS 24.3
CVSS 3.15.5
EPSS0.00092
5