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High 7.8Known exploited (CISA KEV)Published Jan 26, 2021
CVE-2021-3156Sudo before 1.9.5p2 contains an off-by-one error that can result in a heap-based buffer overflow, which allows privilege escalation to root via "sudoedit -s" and a command-line argument that ends wit…
Updated under an hour ago ()
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It affects sudo_project sudo and 23 other products. Add what you run to find out whether that includes you.
CISA lists it as known exploited since Apr 6, 2022; federal agencies had to remediate by Apr 27, 2022. Treat that date as your deadline.
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Sudo before 1.9.5p2 contains an off-by-one error that can result in a heap-based buffer overflow, which allows privilege escalation to root via "sudoedit -s" and a command-line argument that ends with a single backslash character.
- CVSS
- 7.8 HIGH (v3.1, CISA ADP)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-193
- Known exploited
- Added to CISA KEV Apr 6, 2022; federal remediation due Apr 27, 2022Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)
- 99.96% (percentile 100)
- Assigned by
- mitre
- NVD analysis
- Analyzed
- Record last updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- First seen by InfoSec Signals
- Oct 9, 2026
Affected products
sudo_project sudo sudo_project:sudo | from 1.8.2 before 1.8.32; from 1.9.0 before 1.9.5; 1.9.5; 1.9.5 | NVD |
fedoraproject fedora fedoraproject:fedora | 32; 33 | NVD |
debian debian_linux debian:debian_linux | 9.0; 10.0 | NVD |
netapp active_iq_unified_manager netapp:active_iq_unified_manager | all versions | NVD |
netapp cloud_backup netapp:cloud_backup | all versions | NVD |
netapp hci_management_node netapp:hci_management_node | all versions | NVD |
netapp oncommand_unified_manager_core_package netapp:oncommand_unified_manager_core_package | all versions | NVD |
netapp ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility | all versions | NVD |
netapp ontap_tools netapp:ontap_tools | 9 | NVD |
netapp solidfire netapp:solidfire | all versions | NVD |
mcafee web_gateway mcafee:web_gateway | 8.2.17; 9.2.8; 10.0.4 | NVD |
synology diskstation_manager_unified_controller synology:diskstation_manager_unified_controller | 3.0 | NVD |
synology diskstation_manager synology:diskstation_manager | 6.2 | NVD |
synology skynas_firmware synology:skynas_firmware | all versions | NVD |
synology vs960hd_firmware synology:vs960hd_firmware | all versions | NVD |
beyondtrust privilege_management_for_mac beyondtrust:privilege_management_for_mac | before 21.1.1 | NVD |
beyondtrust privilege_management_for_unix/linux beyondtrust:privilege_management_for_unix/linux | before 10.3.2-10 | NVD |
oracle micros_compact_workstation_3_firmware oracle:micros_compact_workstation_3_firmware | 310 | NVD |
oracle micros_es400_firmware oracle:micros_es400_firmware | from 400 through 410 | NVD |
oracle micros_kitchen_display_system_firmware oracle:micros_kitchen_display_system_firmware | 210 | NVD |
oracle micros_workstation_5a_firmware oracle:micros_workstation_5a_firmware | 5a | NVD |
oracle micros_workstation_6_firmware oracle:micros_workstation_6_firmware | from 610 through 655 | NVD |
oracle communications_performance_intelligence_center oracle:communications_performance_intelligence_center | from 10.3.0.0.0 through 10.3.0.2.1; from 10.4.0.1.0 through 10.4.0.3.1 | NVD |
oracle tekelec_platform_distribution oracle:tekelec_platform_distribution | from 7.4.0 through 7.7.1 | NVD |
References
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/01/msg00022.htmlmailing-list, third-party-advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Jan/79mailing-list, exploit, third-party-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/26/3mailing-list, exploit, third-party-advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202101-33vendor-advisory, third-party-advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4839vendor-advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LHXK6ICO5AYLGFK2TAX5MZKUXTUKWOJY/vendor-advisory, mailing-list, release-notes
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CALA5FTXIQBRRYUA2ZQNJXB6OQMAXEII/vendor-advisory, mailing-list, release-notes
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/27/1mailing-list, third-party-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/27/2mailing-list, third-party-advisory
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sudo-privesc-jan2021-qnYQfcMvendor-advisory, third-party-advisory
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/794544third-party-advisory
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Feb/42mailing-list, third-party-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/02/15/1mailing-list, exploit, third-party-advisory
- https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html
- https://www.sudo.ws/stable.html#1.9.5p2
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/26/3
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161160/Sudo-Heap-Based-Buffer-Overflow.htmlexploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210128-0002/third-party-advisory
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210128-0001/third-party-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161230/Sudo-Buffer-Overflow-Privilege-Escalation.htmlexploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161270/Sudo-1.9.5p1-Buffer-Overflow-Privilege-Escalation.htmlexploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161293/Sudo-1.8.31p2-1.9.5p1-Buffer-Overflow.htmlexploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212177third-party-advisory
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10348broken-link, third-party-advisory
- https://www.beyondtrust.com/blog/entry/security-advisory-privilege-management-for-unix-linux-pmul-basic-and-privilege-management-for-mac-pmm-affected-by-sudo-vulnerabilitythird-party-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/176932/glibc-syslog-Heap-Based-Buffer-Overflow.htmlexploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Feb/3exploit, mailing-list, third-party-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/09/14/2mailing-list, patch, third-party-advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/01/30/6exploit, mailing-list
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/01/30/8mailing-list
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