CVE catalog
CVE-2021-45444
zsh: CVE-2021-45444
- Severity
- High · CVSS 7.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Published
- Source
- [NVD] · [CVE record]
- EPSS
- 1.98% · Oct 25, 2026
In zsh before 5.8.1, an attacker can achieve code execution if they control a command output inside the prompt, as demonstrated by a %F argument. This occurs because of recursive PROMPT_SUBST expansion.
Vulnerable and fixed packages
Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.
| Distribution | Package | Release | Version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | zsh | sid | 5.9.2-1 | fixed |
| Debian | zsh | forky | 5.9.2-1 | fixed |
| Debian | zsh | trixie | 5.9-8 | fixed |
| Debian | zsh | bookworm | 5.9-4 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.12 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.13 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.14 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.15 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.16 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.17 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.18 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.19 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.20 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.21 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.22 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.23 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Alpine | zsh | 3.24 | 5.8.1-r0 | fixed |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2.1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2.2 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2.3 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2.3+esm1 | fixed |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.2-5ubuntu1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu2 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu3 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu3.1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu3.2 | fixed |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 20.04 | 5.7.1-1ubuntu2 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 20.04 | 5.8-2ubuntu2 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 20.04 | 5.8-3ubuntu1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 20.04 | 5.8-3ubuntu1.1 | fixed |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 22.04 | 5.8-6build1 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 22.04 | 5.8-10 | vulnerable |
| Ubuntu | zsh | 22.04 | 5.8.1-1 | vulnerable |
| Opensuse | zsh | tumbleweed | 5.8.1-1.1 | fixed |
Fixed-version evidence
| Distribution | Package | Type | Release | Fixed version | Urgency | Origin | Bugs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | zsh | source | sid | 5.8.1-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | Not reported |
| Debian | zsh | source | forky | 5.8.1-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | Not reported |
| Debian | zsh | source | trixie | 5.8.1-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | Not reported |
| Debian | zsh | source | bookworm | 5.8.1-1 | not yet assigned | Not reported | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.12 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.13 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.14 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.15 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.16 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.17 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.18 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.19 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.20 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.21 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.22 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.23 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Alpine | zsh | apk | 3.24 | 5.8.1-r0 | Not reported | ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Ubuntu | zsh | deb | pro | 5.1.1-1ubuntu2.3+esm1 | Not reported | UBUNTU-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Ubuntu | zsh | deb | 18.04 | 5.4.2-3ubuntu3.2 | Not reported | UBUNTU-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Ubuntu | zsh | deb | 20.04 | 5.8-3ubuntu1.1 | Not reported | UBUNTU-CVE-2021-45444 | Not reported |
| Opensuse | zsh | rpm | tumbleweed | 5.8.1-1.1 | Not reported | OPENSUSE-SU-2024:11959-1 | Not reported |
OpenFactory catalog packages
[openSUSE Tumbleweed]
- [zsh-htmldoc]Unknown
Source package: [zsh]
Details (1)
5.9-12.6· x86_64 · tumbleweedUnknown · Fixed:
5.8.1-1.1Version impact unknown
dsa · zsh · opensuse · tumbleweed
- [zsh-sh]Unknown
Source package: [zsh]
Details (1)
5.9-12.6· noarch · tumbleweedUnknown · Fixed:
5.8.1-1.1Version impact unknown
dsa · zsh · opensuse · tumbleweed
- [zsh]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (1)
5.9-12.6· x86_64 · tumbleweedFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1.1dsa · zsh · opensuse · tumbleweed
[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]
- [zsh]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-4+b15· amd64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
5.9-4+b15· arm64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
- [zsh-common]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-4· all · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
5.9-4· all · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
- [zsh-dev]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-4+b15· amd64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
5.9-4+b15· arm64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
- [zsh-doc]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-4· all · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
5.9-4· all · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
- [zsh-static]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-4+b15· amd64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
5.9-4+b15· arm64 · bookwormFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · bookworm; dsa · zsh · debian · 12
[Debian 13 (Trixie)]
- [zsh]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-8+b23· amd64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
5.9-8+b23· arm64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
- [zsh-common]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-8· all · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
5.9-8· all · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
- [zsh-dev]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-8+b23· amd64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
5.9-8+b23· arm64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
- [zsh-doc]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-8· all · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
5.9-8· all · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
- [zsh-static]Fixed
Source package: [zsh]
Details (2)
5.9-8+b23· amd64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
5.9-8+b23· arm64 · trixieFixed · Fixed:
5.8.1-1dsa · zsh · debian · 13
Observed:
References
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2022:2120]
- [https://ftp.suse.com/pub/projects/security/csaf/rhsa-2022_2120.json]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/ALPINE-CVE-2021-45444]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DEBIAN-CVE-2021-45444]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DLA-2926-1]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DSA-5078-1]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/UBUNTU-CVE-2021-45444]
- [https://osv.dev/vulnerability/openSUSE-SU-2024:11959-1]
- [https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-45444]
- [https://wid.cert-bund.de/.well-known/csaf/white/2022/wid-sec-w-2022-1057.json]
[CERT-Bund public advisories] · [Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [Red Hat security advisories and VEX] · [SUSE security advisories and VEX]