How severe is CVE-2021-28794?

CVE-2021-28794 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-28794 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-28794?

CVE-2021-28794 affects Shellcheck Project Shellcheck. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-28794?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-28794 published?

CVE-2021-28794 was published on 2021-03-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-28794

CVE-2021-28794 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Shellcheck Project Shellcheck with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (80th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Shellcheck Project Shellcheck
Published: 2021-03-18
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The unofficial ShellCheck extension before 0.13.4 for Visual Studio Code mishandles shellcheck.executablePath.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-28794?: The unofficial ShellCheck extension before 0.13.4 for Visual Studio Code mishandles shellcheck.executablePath.
How severe is CVE-2021-28794?: CVE-2021-28794 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-28794 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-28794?: CVE-2021-28794 affects Shellcheck Project Shellcheck. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-28794?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-28794 published?: CVE-2021-28794 was published on 2021-03-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:shellcheck_project:shellcheck:*:*:*:*:*:visual_studio_code:*:*