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What is CVE-2021-31535?A critical-severity flaw in Libx11, explained.

Critical severity3 affected products
The short answer

CVE-2021-31535 is a critical-severity flaw (CVSS 9.8) in Libx11 from X.org, published on 27 May 2021. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 11%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Check if it affects you →How to fix it

Published 27 May 2021. Record last updated 7 November 2023. We keep this page's data up to date.

What it does

What is CVE-2021-31535? In plain terms.

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

The official description

LookupCol.c in X.Org X through X11R7.7 and libX11 before 1.7.1 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The libX11 XLookupColor request (intended for server-side color lookup) contains a flaw allowing a client to send color-name requests with a name longer than the maximum size allowed by the protocol (and also longer than the maximum packet size for normal-sized packets). The user-controlled data exceeding the maximum size is then interpreted by the server as additional X protocol requests and executed, e.g., to disable X server authorization completely. For example, if the victim encounters malicious terminal control sequences for color codes, then the attacker may be able to take full control of the running graphical session.

What kind of flaw is it?

  • CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
CVSS 3.1 scoreCritical · 9.8

How an attack on it works

Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.

  • Where an attacker can beAnywhere on the internet
  • How hard it is to pull offEasy: no special conditions
  • Login needed firstNo login needed
  • Does someone have to clickNo, nobody has to do anything
  • What an attacker getsCan read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation

Is CVE-2021-31535 being exploited? Not that we know of.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 11%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Known to be exploitedNoNot on the list of exploited flaws today
Chance of use in the next 30 days11%Its EPSS score, from the latest forecast

Timeline

  1. Published
  2. Record last updated
  3. Exploit likelihood jumped
  4. Exploit likelihood fell
How Precursor Intelligence ranks it
63out of 100Medium

CVE-2021-31535 scores 63. Action: Plan remediation.

We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:

  • Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
  • How severe it isStrong factor
  • How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
  • Threat activity around itSmaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.

When CVE-2021-31535 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

See your own ranked list →
Affected products

Who is affected by CVE-2021-31535? 3 products.

The published record lists 3 products from 2 vendors. Versions are shown as published: "before 1.7.1" means every version up to, but not including, 1.7.1. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.

Remediation

How do I fix CVE-2021-31535? Four steps.

  1. Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
  2. Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
  3. If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
  4. Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

References

18 links
Precursor Intelligence

Does CVE-2021-31535 affect you? We'll keep checking.

Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.

  1. Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
  2. We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
  3. Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
  4. Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
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FAQ

Common questions, answered plainly.

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CVE-2021-31535 is a critical-severity flaw in Libx11 from X.org, published on 27 May 2021. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is critical. Our risk score for CVE-2021-31535 is 63 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 11%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

For Libx11 from X.org: before 1.7.1. The record lists 3 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

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