Evidence dossier

CVE-2021-4034

CVE-2021-4034

77.5–94.0Priority evidence range

As known Jul 19, 2026, 5:00 AM UTCgen-56ccdaf9

Normalized restatement

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found on polkit's pkexec utility. The pkexec application is a setuid tool designed to allow unprivileged users to run commands as privileged users according predefined policies. The current version of pkexec doesn't handle the calling parameters count correctly and ends trying to execute environment variables as commands. An attacker can leverage this by crafting environment variables in such a way it'll induce pkexec to execute arbitrary code. When successfully executed the attack can cause a local privilege escalation given unprivileged users administrative rights on the target machine.

State: PUBLISHED
Published: Jan 28, 2022
Updated: Oct 21, 2025
Evidence coverage: 85%

CISA KEVCatalog member

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

FIRST EPSS94.92%

2026-07-18 · v2026.06.15 · percentile 99.9%

Source stateNo scored conflict

Distinct CVSS assessments remain side by side; none are averaged.

Source comparison

Who said what

CISA-ADPindependent enrichment

container

CISA ADP Vulnrichment

Jul 19, 2026Original evidence ↗

CVEderivative copy

container

CVE Program Container

Jul 19, 2026Original evidence ↗

redhatoriginal assertion

container

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found on polkit's pkexec utility. The pkexec application is a setuid tool designed to allow unprivileged users to run commands as privileged users according predefined policies. The current version of pkexec doesn't handle the calling parameters count correctly and ends trying to execute environment variables as commands. An attacker can leverage this by crafting environment variables in such a way it'll induce pkexec to execute arbitrary code. When successfully executed the attack can cause a local privilege escalation given unprivileged users administrative rights on the target machine.

Jul 19, 2026Original evidence ↗

CISA KEVoriginal assertion

observed_exploitation

Red Hat Polkit Out-of-Bounds Read and Write Vulnerability

Jul 19, 2026Original evidence ↗

FIRST EPSSoriginal assertion

model_probability

Probability 0.949210000000; percentile 0.998510000000

Jul 19, 2026Original evidence ↗

Applicability

Cited product scope

Trace impact →

n/apolkit

[{"status": "affected", "version": "all"}]unknown

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:oracle:http_server:12.2.1.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:oracle:http_server:12.2.1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:oracle:zfs_storage_appliance_kit:8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:polkit_project:polkit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; end excluding 121supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:siemens:sinumerik_edge:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; end excluding 3.3.0supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:starwindsoftware:command_center:1.0:update3_build5871:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:starwindsoftware:starwind_virtual_san:v8:build14338:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:suse:enterprise_storage:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:suse:linux_enterprise_high_performance_computing:15.0:sp2:*:*:-:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:suse:manager_proxy:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:a:suse:manager_server:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:h:siemens:scalance_lpe9403:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*constrained

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:21.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_eus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_for_scientific_computing:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_eus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:7.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:7.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions:8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:siemens:scalance_lpe9403_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; end excluding 2.0supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_desktop:15:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_server:15:sp2:*:*:*:-:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_server:15:sp2:*:*:*:sap:*:*supported

Unknown vendorUnknown product

cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12:sp5:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Assessments

CVSS by origin

7.8

nvd@nist.govCVSS 3.1 · role PrimaryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

7.2

nvd@nist.govCVSS 2.0 · role PrimaryAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

7.8

134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0CVSS 3.1 · role SecondaryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

7.8

CISA-ADPCVSS 3.1 · role unknownCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Limitations and unknowns

KEV membership is authoritative for the catalog, not proof of exposure in any environment.
EPSS is a dated model probability and not an individual-environment prediction.
Affected or fixed status applies only to the exact cited product and version scope; unresolved scope remains unknown.
NVD-carried upstream facts remain derivative and are not independent corroboration.
Only NVD metrics validated under the generation-bound calculator are Public Priority eligible; direct CVE record metrics remain display-only.
NVD CVSS source eligibility is closed: NVD-authored, exact record-source, or registered same-CVE container origin; unmapped sources remain display-only.
Factor D is unknown in Public Core because no accepted canonical mapping-obligation ledger is present.
Core replay supports the active and immediately prior generation; retrospective valid-at replay is deferred.