# What is CVE-2021-3979? > CVE-2021-3979 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) in Ceph Storage from Red Hat, published on 25 August 2022. 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 0.6%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2021-3979 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 27 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.5 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.6% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 25 August 2022 - **Record last updated:** 3 November 2025 - **Main product:** Ceph Storage from Red Hat - **Affected products:** 7 ## What is CVE-2021-3979? 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 some data and change some data. ### The official description A key length flaw was found in Red Hat Ceph Storage. An attacker can exploit the fact that the key length is incorrectly passed in an encryption algorithm to create a non random key, which is weaker and can be exploited for loss of confidentiality and integrity on encrypted disks. ### What kind of flaw is it? - CWE-327: Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm - CWE-287: Improper Authentication ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions - Login needed first: No login needed - Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything - What an attacker gets: Can read some data and change some data Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N` ## Is CVE-2021-3979 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 0.6%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.6%. ### Timeline - 25 August 2022: Published - 3 November 2025: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2021-3979 scores **27 out of 100 (Low)**, with the action "Monitor". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: smaller factor - Threat activity around it: smaller factor 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2021-3979? The published record lists 7 products. - [Ceph Storage](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/ceph_storage) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 3.0, 4.0, 4.3, 5.0, 5.1 - [Fedora](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/fedoraproject/fedora) by [Fedoraproject](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/fedoraproject) (Operating system): 35, 37 - [Ceph Storage for Ibm Z Systems](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/ceph_storage_for_ibm_z_systems) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 4.0 - [Ceph Storage for Power](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/ceph_storage_for_power) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 4.0 - [Openshift Container Storage](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/openshift_container_storage) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 4.0 - [Openshift Data Foundation](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/openshift_data_foundation) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 4.0 - [Openstack Platform](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/openstack_platform) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 13.0 ## How do I fix CVE-2021-3979? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare 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 fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow 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 it.** Track 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 - [github.com](https://github.com/ceph/ceph/commit/47c33179f9a15ae95cc1579a421be89378602656) (Patch, Third-party advisory) - [github.com](https://github.com/ceph/ceph/pull/44765) (Patch, Third-party advisory) - [access.redhat.com](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-3979) (Vendor advisory) - [bugzilla.redhat.com](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2024788) (Issue tracking, Vendor advisory) - [tracker.ceph.com](https://tracker.ceph.com/issues/54006) (Issue tracking, Vendor advisory) - [lists.debian.org](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/10/msg00034.html) - [lists.fedoraproject.org](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/BPOK44BESMIFW6BIOGCN452AKKOIIT6Q/) (Mailing list) - [lists.debian.org](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/09/msg00025.html) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2021-3979? CVE-2021-3979 is a medium-severity flaw in Ceph Storage from Red Hat, published on 25 August 2022. 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 some data and change some data. ### How serious is CVE-2021-3979? It scores 6.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2021-3979 is 27 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. ### Is CVE-2021-3979 being exploited? 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 0.6%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2021-3979 affect? For Ceph Storage from Red Hat: 3.0, 4.0, 4.3, 5.0, 5.1. The record lists 7 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page. ### How do I fix CVE-2021-3979? 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. ## Does CVE-2021-3979 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact