How severe is CVE-2021-3551?

CVE-2021-3551 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-2021-3551 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (8th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-3551?

CVE-2021-3551 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-3551?

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-2021-3551 published?

CVE-2021-3551 was published on 2022-02-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-3551

CVE-2021-3551 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux 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-312.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (8th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-312
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2022-02-16
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in the PKI-server, where the spkispawn command, when run in debug mode, stores admin credentials in the installation log file. This flaw allows a local attacker to retrieve the file to obtain the admin password and gain admin privileges to the Dogtag CA manager. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-3551?: A flaw was found in the PKI-server, where the spkispawn command, when run in debug mode, stores admin credentials in the installation log file. This flaw allows a local attacker to retrieve the file to obtain the admin password and gain admin privileges to the Dogtag CA manager. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to confidentiality.
How severe is CVE-2021-3551?: CVE-2021-3551 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-2021-3551 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (8th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-3551?: CVE-2021-3551 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 13 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-3551?: 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-2021-3551 published?: CVE-2021-3551 was published on 2022-02-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1959971

Affected products (13)

cpe:2.3:a:dogtagpki:dogtagpki:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:oracle:linux:8:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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