CVE-2021-3710 : What You Need to Know

A detailed overview of the CVE-2021-3710 vulnerability affecting Apport.

Understanding CVE-2021-3710

This section covers the essential details of the information disclosure vulnerability via path traversal in the Apport tool.

What is CVE-2021-3710?

CVE-2021-3710 is an information disclosure vulnerability discovered in the

hookutils.py

function

read_file()

of Apport. It affects multiple versions of Apport, allowing an attacker to disclose sensitive information through path traversal.

The Impact of CVE-2021-3710

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.5, indicating a medium severity issue. It requires low privileges for exploitation but has a high impact on confidentiality.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-3710

In this section, we delve into specific technical aspects of the CVE-2021-3710 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises due to improper input validation in the

read_file()

function of Apport, enabling attackers to traverse directories and access unauthorized files.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected versions of Apport include 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm8, 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm2, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.26, and several others prior to specific versions that address the issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability locally with low privileges, manipulating file paths to disclose sensitive information stored on the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines strategies to mitigate the CVE-2021-3710 vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users and administrators should update Apport to non-affected versions immediately to prevent unauthorized information disclosure.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices and regular code reviews can help identify and address similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Canonical has released patches for the affected versions of Apport. Users are advised to apply these security updates promptly to safeguard their systems.