| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| ubuntu | www.ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-3491 |
| cve | www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi |
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##
include('compat.inc');
if (description)
{
script_id(247842);
script_version("1.1");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2025/08/11");
script_cve_id("CVE-2021-3491");
script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-3491");
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 io_uring subsystem in the Linux kernel allowed the MAX_RW_COUNT limit to be bypassed in the
PROVIDE_BUFFERS operation, which led to negative values being usedin mem_rw when reading /proc/<PID>/mem.
This could be used to create a heap overflow leading to arbitrary code execution in the kernel. It was
addressed via commit d1f82808877b (io_uring: truncate lengths larger than MAX_RW_COUNT on provide
buffers) (v5.13-rc1) and backported to the stable kernels in v5.12.4, v5.11.21, and v5.10.37. It was
introduced in ddf0322db79c (io_uring: add IORING_OP_PROVIDE_BUFFERS) (v5.7-rc1). (CVE-2021-3491)
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-2021-3491");
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:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/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-2021-3491");
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:"2021/05/11");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/11");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.0");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.3");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-5.3");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-edge");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-5.3");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-edge");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe-edge");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.0");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.3");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-raspi2");
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-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04");
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-16.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "16.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "18.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "linux-aws-5.0"},
{"reference": "linux-aws-5.3"},
{"reference": "linux-azure-5.3"},
{"reference": "linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-azure-edge"},
{"reference": "linux-azure-headers-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-azure-tools-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-gcp-5.3"},
{"reference": "linux-gcp-edge"},
{"reference": "linux-gcp-headers-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-gcp-tools-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-headers-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-hwe"},
{"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"},
{"reference": "linux-image-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-image-unsigned-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-modules-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-modules-extra-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-oracle-5.0"},
{"reference": "linux-oracle-5.3"},
{"reference": "linux-tools-4.15.0"},
{"reference": "linux-udebs-azure"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "20.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "linux-raspi2"}
]
}
]
}
};
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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