How severe is CVE-2021-3679?

CVE-2021-3679 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-3679 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-3679?

CVE-2021-3679 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-3679?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-3679 published?

CVE-2021-3679 was published on 2021-08-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-3679

CVE-2021-3679 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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-835.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2021-08-05
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A lack of CPU resource in the Linux kernel tracing module functionality in versions prior to 5.14-rc3 was found in the way user uses trace ring buffer in a specific way. Only privileged local users (with CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability) could use this flaw to starve the resources causing denial of service.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-3679?: A lack of CPU resource in the Linux kernel tracing module functionality in versions prior to 5.14-rc3 was found in the way user uses trace ring buffer in a specific way. Only privileged local users (with CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability) could use this flaw to starve the resources causing denial of service.
How severe is CVE-2021-3679?: CVE-2021-3679 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-3679 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-3679?: CVE-2021-3679 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-3679?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-3679 published?: CVE-2021-3679 was published on 2021-08-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (7)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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