Description
The wordexp function in the GNU C Library (aka glibc) through 2.33 may crash or read arbitrary memory in parse_param (in posix/wordexp.c) when called with an untrusted, crafted pattern, potentially resulting in a denial of service or disclosure of information. This occurs because atoi was used but strtoul should have been used to ensure correct calculations.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | glibc | 2.31-13 | — |
| Debian 13 | glibc | 2.31-13 | — |
| Debian 12 | glibc | 2.31-13 | — |
| Debian 10 | glibc | 2.28-10+deb10u2 | DLA-3152-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | glibc | 2.31-0ubuntu9.7 | USN-5310-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | glibc | 2.27-3ubuntu1.5 | USN-5310-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | glibc | 2.23-0ubuntu11.3+esm2 | USN-5699-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | eglibc | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | nscd +212 | 2.28-164.el8 | RHSA-2021:4358 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 8 | nss_hesiod +5 | 2.28-164.el8 | ALSA-2021:4358 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 8 | glibc | 2.28-164.el8 | RLSA-2021:4358 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP3 | glibc | 2.31-9.3.2 | SUSE-SU-2021:3291-1 |
| SLES 15 SP2 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLES 15 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | glibc | 2.22-114.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:2480-1 |
Show 16 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP3 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | glibc | 2.11.3-17.110.37.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:14822-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | glibc | 2.22-114.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:2480-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.1 | glibc | 2.31-9.3.2 | SUSE-SU-2021:3291-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.0 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | glibc | 2.11.3-17.110.37.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:14822-1 |
| SUSE HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | glibc | 2.22-116.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | glibc | 2.26-13.59.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | glibc | 2.38-6.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:13388-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.3 | glibc | 2.31-9.3.2 | openSUSE-SU-2021:3291-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.2 | glibc +1 | 2.26-lp152.26.9.1 | openSUSE-SU-2021:1374-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | nscd +199 | 2.26-53.amzn2 | ALAS2-2021-1703 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | nscd +211 | 2.28-164.0.1.el8 | ELSA-2021-4358 |
Advisories 23
- ALSA-2021:4358 Moderate: glibc security, bug fix, and enhancement update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- RHSA-2021:4358 Red Hat Security Advisory: glibc security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Oct 15, 2026
- SSA-398330 SSA-398330: Vulnerabilities in the additional GNU/Linux subsystem of the SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP >= V3.1.0 and < V3.1.5 Siemens ProductCERT · Oct 13, 2026
- USN-5699-1 glibc vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 25, 2026
- USN-5310-1 glibc vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 27, 2026
- DLA-3152-1 glibc - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RLSA-2021:4358 Moderate: glibc security, bug fix, and enhancement update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Feb 5, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:13388-1 glibc-2.38-6.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:3385-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:14822-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:3291-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2024-1186 IBM DB2 REST: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jan 25, 2026
- ICSA-23-348-10 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CISA ICS & IT advisories · Aug 12, 2025
- VDE-2022-010 PHOENIX CONTACT: Multiple Linux component vulnerabilities fixed in latest AXC F x152 LTS release CERT@VDE · May 22, 2025
- openSUSE-SU-2021:1374-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- openSUSE-SU-2021:3291-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2021:2480-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2021:3289-1 Security update for glibc SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- ICSA-23-166-10 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP BIOS CISA ICS & IT advisories · Apr 9, 2024
- SSA-831302 SSA-831302: Vulnerabilities in the BIOS of the SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP before V1.3.0 Siemens ProductCERT · Apr 9, 2024
- WID-SEC-2023-1432 Siemens SIMATIC S7: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jun 22, 2023
- ELSA-2021-4358 Moderate: glibc security, bug fix, and enhancement update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Nov 16, 2021
- ALAS2-2021-1703 Moderate: glibc security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Sep 15, 2021
References
- https://sourceware.org/glibc/wiki/Security%20Exceptions
- https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=28011
- https://sourceware.org/git/?p=glibc.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=5adda61f62b77384718b4c0d8336ade8f2b4b35c
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210827-0005/
- GLSA-202208-24 vendor-advisory
- [debian-lts-announce] 20221017 [SECURITY] [DLA 3152-1] glibc security update mailing-list