How severe is CVE-2021-42523?

CVE-2021-42523 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2021-42523 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (52nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-42523?

CVE-2021-42523 primarily affects Colord Project Colord. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-42523?

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-2021-42523 published?

CVE-2021-42523 was published on 2022-08-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-42523

CVE-2021-42523 is a high-severity vulnerability in Colord Project Colord with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-401.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (52nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-401
Affected product: Colord Project Colord
Published: 2022-08-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

There are two Information Disclosure vulnerabilities in colord, and they lie in colord/src/cd-device-db.c and colord/src/cd-profile-db.c separately. They exist because the 'err_msg' of 'sqlite3_exec' is not releasing after use, while libxml2 emphasizes that the caller needs to release it.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-42523?: There are two Information Disclosure vulnerabilities in colord, and they lie in colord/src/cd-device-db.c and colord/src/cd-profile-db.c separately. They exist because the 'err_msg' of 'sqlite3_exec' is not releasing after use, while libxml2 emphasizes that the caller needs to release it.
How severe is CVE-2021-42523?: CVE-2021-42523 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2021-42523 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (52nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-42523?: CVE-2021-42523 primarily affects Colord Project Colord. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-42523?: 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-2021-42523 published?: CVE-2021-42523 was published on 2022-08-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://github.com/hughsie/colord/issues/110

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:colord_project:colord:1.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:colord_project:colord:1.4.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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