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Vulnerability record · CVE-2021-23240 · published 12 January 2021

CVE-2021-23240: Sudo project sudo link following vulnerability

Sudo Project · Sudo

selinux_edit_copy_tfiles in sudoedit in Sudo before 1.9.5 allows a local unprivileged user to gain file ownership and escalate privileges by replacing a temporary file with a symlink to an arbitrary file target. This affects SELinux RBAC support in permissive mode. Machines without SELinux are not vulnerable.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 1.1% · top 36.6% CWE-59 · Link following
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 4.4
1.1%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
4Affected product versions listed by NVD
16References, 2 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

selinux_edit_copy_tfiles in sudoedit in Sudo before 1.9.5 allows a local unprivileged user to gain file ownership and escalate privileges by replacing a temporary file with a symlink to an arbitrary file target. This affects SELinux RBAC support in permissive mode. Machines without SELinux are not vulnerable.

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

Affected products

4 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2021-23240 ExploitIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/EE42Y35SMJOLONAIBNYNFC7
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GMY4VSSBIND7VAYSN6T7XIW
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202101-33 Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210129-0010/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.sudo.ws/stable.html#1.9.5 Release NotesVendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2021-23240 ExploitIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/EE42Y35SMJOLONAIBNYNFC7
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GMY4VSSBIND7VAYSN6T7XIW
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202101-33 Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210129-0010/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.sudo.ws/stable.html#1.9.5 Release NotesVendor Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2021-23240), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-29). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.