CVE-2021-33285

CVE-2021-33285 is a high-severity vulnerability in Tuxera Ntfs-3g with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-787.

Key facts

Description

In NTFS-3G versions < 2021.8.22, when a specially crafted NTFS attribute is supplied to the function ntfs_get_attribute_value, a heap buffer overflow can occur allowing for memory disclosure or denial of service. The vulnerability is caused by an out-of-bound buffer access which can be triggered by mounting a crafted ntfs partition. The root cause is a missing consistency check after reading an MFT record : the "bytes_in_use" field should be less than the "bytes_allocated" field. When it is not, the parsing of the records proceeds into the wild.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-33285?
In NTFS-3G versions < 2021.8.22, when a specially crafted NTFS attribute is supplied to the function ntfs_get_attribute_value, a heap buffer overflow can occur allowing for memory disclosure or denial of service. The vulnerability is caused by an out-of-bound buffer access which can be triggered by mounting a crafted ntfs partition. The root cause is a missing consistency check after reading an MFT record : the "bytes_in_use" field should be less than the "bytes_allocated" field. When it is not, the parsing of the records proceeds into the wild.
How severe is CVE-2021-33285?
CVE-2021-33285 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-33285 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (33rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-33285?
CVE-2021-33285 primarily affects Tuxera Ntfs-3g. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-33285?
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-2021-33285 published?
CVE-2021-33285 was published on 2021-09-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (10)

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