CVE-2021-21285 json
Docker daemon crash during image pull of malicious image
published 2021-02-02 5 y ago modified 2026-09-10 59 d ago also EUVD-2024-0271 , GHSA-6fj5-m822-rqx8
- cvss
- 6.5
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 3.3%
- EPSS 3.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 88%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
In Docker before versions 9.03.15, 20.10.3 there is a vulnerability in which pulling an intentionally malformed Docker image manifest crashes the dockerd daemon. Versions 20.10.3 and 19.03.15 contain patches that prevent the daemon from crashing.
Patch / fix
- go github.com/moby/moby 19.3.15, 20.10.3
- docker docker 19.03.15, 20.10.3
- docker.io Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 20.10.3+dfsg1-1
debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2021-21285
- docker.io Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 20.10.7-0ubuntu1~18.04.1
- docker.io Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 20.10.7-0ubuntu1~20.04.1
ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2021-21285
Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0
- docker-stable SLES for SAP 15 SP5, SLES for SAP 15 SP4, SLES for SAP 15 SP3 +12 more 24.0.9_ce-150000.1.25.1
- runc SLES for SAP 15 SP1, SLES for SAP 15, SLES 15-LTSS +14 more 1.0.0~rc93-1.14.2
- docker SLES for SAP 15 SP1, SLES for SAP 15, SLES 15-LTSS +13 more 20.10.6_ce-6.49.3
- containerd SLES for SAP 15 SP1, SLES for SAP 15, SLES 15-LTSS +13 more 1.4.4-5.32.1
- runc SLE Module for Containers 12 1.0.0~rc93-16.8.1
- docker SLE Module for Containers 12 20.10.6_ce-98.66.1
- containerd SLE Module for Containers 12 1.4.4-16.38.1
- golang-github-docker-libnetwork SLE Module for Containers 12 0.7.0.1+gitr2908_55e924b8a842-37.1
suse advisories SUSE-SU-2025:03545-1SUSE-SU-2025:03540-1SUSE-SU-2021:1954-1SUSE-SU-2021:1458-1SUSE-SU-2021:0445-1SUSE-SU-2021:0435-1
- runc openSUSE Leap 15.3 1.0.0~rc93-1.14.2
- docker openSUSE Leap 15.3 20.10.6_ce-6.49.3
- containerd openSUSE Leap 15.3 1.4.4-5.32.1
- runc openSUSE Leap 15.2 1.0.0~rc93-lp152.2.3.1
- docker openSUSE Leap 15.2 20.10.6_ce-lp152.2.12.1
- containerd openSUSE Leap 15.2 1.4.4-lp152.2.6.1
- golang-github-docker-libnetwork openSUSE Leap 15.2 0.7.0.1+gitr2908_55e924b8a842-lp152.2.3.1
- fish openSUSE Leap 15.2 2.7.1-lp152.5.3.1
opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2021:1954-1openSUSE-SU-2021:0878-1openSUSE-SU-2021:0278-1
- docker Alpine 3.24, Alpine 3.23, Alpine 3.22 +10 more 20.10.3-r0
alpine advisories ALPINE-CVE-2021-21285
Alpine secdb © Alpine Linux, from https://secdb.alpinelinux.org via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0
- docker Arch Linux 1:20.10.3-1
arch linux advisories AVG-1528
Vendor advisories
What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.
red hat product security vex CVE-2021-21285 updated cvss 6.5
docker: daemon crash during image pull of malicious image
-
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 dockeraffected: no fix planned “Out of support scope”
Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf
Exploit prediction
3.33% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 88% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 6.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| GitHub | 3.1 | 6.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| NVD | 3.1 | 6.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| NVD | 2.0 | 4.3 | AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P |
Affected packages
| ecosystem | package | affected | fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | github.com/moby/moby | <19.3.15 >=20.10.0-beta1, <20.10.3 |
19.3.15 20.10.3 |
Affected products
- moby moby
Classification
- Weakness
- Technology feeds
References
-
github.com
/moby/moby/commit/8d3179546e79065adefa67cc697c09d0ab137d30
web, patch, third-party-advisory
-
security.gentoo.org
/glsa/202107-23
vendor-advisory, web, patch, third-party-advisory
-
debian.org
/security/2021/dsa-4865
vendor-advisory, web, third-party-advisory
-
docs.docker.com
/engine/release-notes/#20103
web, release-notes, vendor-advisory
-
github.com
/moby/moby/security/advisories/GHSA-6fj5-m822-rqx8
web, third-party-advisory, advisory
-
github.com
/moby/moby/releases/tag/v20.10.3
web, release-notes, third-party-advisory
-
github.com
/moby/moby/releases/tag/v19.03.15
web, release-notes, third-party-advisory
-
security.netapp.com
/advisory/ntap-20210226-0005/
third-party-advisory
-
nvd.nist.gov
/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21285
advisory
-
security.netapp.com
/advisory/ntap-20210226-0005
web
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2021-21285
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-6fj5-m822-rqx8
- NVD CVE-2021-21285
- Maintainer advisory GHSA-6fj5-m822-rqx8
Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.
The maintainers of moby/moby published their own advisory on GitHub. Reviewed sources take precedence over it.