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CVE-2021-3493

8.8
HIGHCVSS v3.1 Base Score
79.71%
HIGH RiskEPSS (99th percentile)
KEV

The overlayfs implementation in the linux kernel did not properly validate with respect to user namespaces the setting of file capabilities on files in an underlying file system. Due to the combination of unprivileged user namespaces along with a patch carried in the Ubuntu kernel to allow unprivileged overlay mounts, an attacker could use this to gain elevated privileges.

Published: 4/17/2021
Modified: 10/28/2025
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ACTIVELY EXPLOITED IN THE WILD

This vulnerability is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

Vulnerability Name:

Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Vendor / Product:

Linux Kernel

Required Action:

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Due Date: 11/10/2022(OVERDUE)
Added to KEV:

10/20/2022

Notes:

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=7c03e2cda4a584cadc398e8f6641ca9988a39d52; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3493

Vulnerability Summary

CVSS v3 Score

8.8HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v2 Score

7.2

AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

EPSS Score (Exploitation Probability)

79.71%HIGH Exploitation Risk
99th percentile

This vulnerability has a 79.71% probability of being exploited in the next 30 days, ranking higher than 99% of all scored CVEs.

CWE Classification

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