Lucene search
K

Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-32803

🗓️ 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

Unpatched Linux: CVE-2021-32803 node-tar symlink bypass allows file creation; pre-6.1.2, no patch

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: IBM QRadar Deployment Intelligence app for IBM QRadar SIEM is vulnerable to using components with known vulnerabilities
24 May 202218:37
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: A security vulnerability in Node.js tar module affects IBM Cloud Pak for Multicloud Management Managed Services
9 Nov 202118:30
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: Open Source Dependency Vulnerability
15 May 202318:33
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: IBM QRadar User Behavior Analytics is vulnerable to components with known vulnerabilities
30 Mar 202316:06
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: IBM Watson Machine Learning Accelerator on Cloud Pak for Data is vulnerable to multiple vulnerabilities
12 Dec 202317:28
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: IBM QRadar Use Case Manager app is vulnerable to using components with known vulnerabilities
20 Apr 202214:01
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: Multiple vulnerabilities fixed in IBM Security Verify Governance - Identity Manager Virtual Appliance
30 Jun 202305:54
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: QRadar Pulse application add on to IBM QRadar SIEM is vulnerable to using components with known vulnerabilities
18 Oct 202213:51
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: Multiple security vulnerabilities fixed in Cloud Pak for Automation components
19 Jan 202216:26
ibm
IBM Security Bulletins
Security Bulletin: IBM QRadar Data Synchronization App for IBM QRadar SIEM is vulnerable to using components with known vulnerabilities
31 May 202214:57
ibm
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(250908);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2025/08/18");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2021-32803");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-32803");

  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.

  - The npm package tar (aka node-tar) before versions 6.1.2, 5.0.7, 4.4.15, and 3.2.3 has an arbitrary File
    Creation/Overwrite vulnerability via insufficient symlink protection. `node-tar` aims to guarantee that
    any file whose location would be modified by a symbolic link is not extracted. This is, in part, achieved
    by ensuring that extracted directories are not symlinks. Additionally, in order to prevent unnecessary
    `stat` calls to determine whether a given path is a directory, paths are cached when directories are
    created. This logic was insufficient when extracting tar files that contained both a directory and a
    symlink with the same name as the directory. This order of operations resulted in the directory being
    created and added to the `node-tar` directory cache. When a directory is present in the directory cache,
    subsequent calls to mkdir for that directory are skipped. However, this is also where `node-tar` checks
    for symlinks occur. By first creating a directory, and then replacing that directory with a symlink, it
    was thus possible to bypass `node-tar` symlink checks on directories, essentially allowing an untrusted
    tar file to symlink into an arbitrary location and subsequently extracting arbitrary files into that
    location, thus allowing arbitrary file creation and overwrite. This issue was addressed in releases 3.2.3,
    4.4.15, 5.0.7 and 6.1.2. (CVE-2021-32803)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-32803");
  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:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2021-32803");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2021/08/03");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/18");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:node-tar");
  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("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04");

  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/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "node-tar"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

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');
}

Data

Build on a solid foundation with Vulners data

We provide the essential building blocks for cybersecurity solutions with comprehensive, structured, and constantly updated vulnerability and exploits data

Api

Power your application with Vulners API

The Vulners REST API offers reliable, high-performance access to vulnerability intelligence, with 99.9% SLA uptime and CDN-backed data delivery for seamless global access

App

Assess and manage vulnerabilities with Vulners tools

Built on top of Vulners' database and SDK, end-user solutions give security professionals and developers lightweight and powerful tools for vulnerability remediation

18 Aug 2025 00:00Current
7High risk
Vulners AI Score7
CVSS 25.8
CVSS 3.18.1 - 8.2
EPSS0.00122
3