| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| security-tracker | www.security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-3521 |
| ubuntu | www.ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-3521 |
| cve | www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi |
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##
include('compat.inc');
if (description)
{
script_id(223811);
script_version("1.8");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/05/21");
script_cve_id("CVE-2021-3521");
script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-3521");
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.
- 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. (CVE-2021-3521)
Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-3521");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-3521");
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:H/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:C");
script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N");
script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2021-3521");
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:"2022/02/01");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/03/05");
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:"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:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.04");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.10");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:rpm");
script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:rpm");
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) 2025-2026 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/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.10");
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 = {
"Debian Linux-11": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "11",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "debugedit"},
{"reference": "librpm-dev"},
{"reference": "librpm9"},
{"reference": "librpmbuild9"},
{"reference": "librpmio9"},
{"reference": "librpmsign9"},
{"reference": "python3-rpm"},
{"reference": "rpm"},
{"reference": "rpm-common"},
{"reference": "rpm-i18n"},
{"reference": "rpm2cpio"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "14.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "debugedit"},
{"reference": "librpm-dbg"},
{"reference": "librpm-dev"},
{"reference": "librpm3"},
{"reference": "librpmbuild3"},
{"reference": "librpmio3"},
{"reference": "librpmsign1"},
{"reference": "python-rpm"},
{"reference": "rpm"},
{"reference": "rpm-common"},
{"reference": "rpm-i18n"},
{"reference": "rpm2cpio"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "16.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "18.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "20.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "22.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "24.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-25.04": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "25.04",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
},
"Ubuntu Linux-25.10": {
"package_manager": "dpkg-l",
"constraints": [
{
"release": "25.10",
"pkgs": [
{"reference": "rpm"}
]
}
]
}
};
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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