CVE-2021-21979

CVE-2021-21979 is a high-severity vulnerability in Bitnami Containers with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-798.

Key facts

Description

In Bitnami Containers, all Laravel container versions prior to: 6.20.0-debian-10-r107 for Laravel 6, 7.30.1-debian-10-r108 for Laravel 7 and 8.5.11-debian-10-r0 for Laravel 8, the file /tmp/app/.env is generated at the time that the docker image bitnami/laravel was built, and the value of APP_KEY is fixed under certain conditions. This value is crucial for the security of the application and must be randomly generated per Laravel installation. If your application's encryption key is in the hands of a malicious party, that party could craft cookie values using the encryption key and exploit vulnerabilities inherent to PHP object serialization / unserialization, such as calling arbitrary class methods within your application.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-21979?
In Bitnami Containers, all Laravel container versions prior to: 6.20.0-debian-10-r107 for Laravel 6, 7.30.1-debian-10-r108 for Laravel 7 and 8.5.11-debian-10-r0 for Laravel 8, the file /tmp/app/.env is generated at the time that the docker image bitnami/laravel was built, and the value of APP_KEY is fixed under certain conditions. This value is crucial for the security of the application and must be randomly generated per Laravel installation. If your application's encryption key is in the hands of a malicious party, that party could craft cookie values using the encryption key and exploit vulnerabilities inherent to PHP object serialization / unserialization, such as calling arbitrary class methods within your application.
How severe is CVE-2021-21979?
CVE-2021-21979 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2021-21979 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21979?
CVE-2021-21979 primarily affects Bitnami Containers. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21979?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-21979 published?
CVE-2021-21979 was published on 2021-03-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (10)

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