CVE-2021-3560

CRITICALNVD 7.89.0▲
EchelonGraph scoreHIGH confidence

Score elevated to 9.0 because this CVE is listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2023-05-12), indicating real-world exploitation has been confirmed by US federal agencies. NVD baseline CVSS 7.8 retained for reference. Confidence: HIGH.

Triggered by: CISA KEV (actively exploited)
Sources: cisa_kev, epss, ghsa, nvd
Trending — 5 sources updated this weekExploited in the wild
9.0EG
EchelonGraph verdictPatch nowTreat as an emergency — this is being exploited.
  • Actively exploited in the wild (CISA-KEV)
CISA-KEV: ExploitedEPSS PROB: 22%CVSS: 7.8Exploit: cisa kev · ssvc active · Metasploit · Exploit-DB (verified) · epss top5pct · public exploitExposed: 0

A fix is available — apply it.

It was found that polkit could be tricked into bypassing the credential checks for D-Bus requests, elevating the privileges of the requestor to the root user. This flaw could be used by an unprivileged local attacker to, for example, create a new local administrator. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.

CVSS v3
7.8
EG Score
9.0(high)
EG Risk
81(Attend)
EG Risk 81/100SSVC: Attend

EG Risk is EchelonGraph's 0–100 priority score: it fuses intrinsic severity with real-world exploitation and automatability so you can rank equal-severity CVEs and fix the most dangerous first. Higher = act sooner. Distinct from the 0–10 EG Score (severity).

How it’s computed
Severity90% × 45%
Exploitation100% × 40%
Automatability0% × 15%
Action: Remediate soon — notable exploitation risk.
EPSS PROB
22%
EPSS %ILE
98%
KEV
⚠ Exploited

Published

February 16, 2022

Last Modified

November 6, 2025

Advisory Details (5)

Auto-updated Jun 3, 2026
⚠️ Active exploitation confirmed. Patch available. Sources: redhat, cisa.
cisa Patch Available🔴 Active Exploitation

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog | CISA

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog | CISA. Listed in CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-3560
generic🟡 PoC Available

Privilege escalation with polkit: How to get root on Linux with a seven-year-old bug - The GitHub Blog

https://github.blog/2021-06-10-privilege-escalation-polkit-root-on-linux-with-bug/
redhat Patch Available

1961710 – (CVE-2021-3560) CVE-2021-3560 polkit: local privilege escalation using polkit_system_bus_name_get_creds_sync()

Affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.1 Extended Update Support

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1961710
generic

Packet Storm

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172846/Facebook-Fizz-Denial-Of-Service.html
generic

Packet Storm

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172836/polkit-Authentication-Bypass.html

Vendor Advisories for CVE-2021-3560(1)

These vendors published their own advisory mentioning this CVE — often with vendor-specific remediation steps + affected product lists not in NVD.

Patch Availability(6)

Vendor / EcosystemFixed in / PatchReleasedSource
ubuntulibpolkit-agent-1-dev (0.105-30ubuntu0.1) @ hirsute2026-09-08ubuntu
redhatpolkit-0:0.115-11.el8_3.22021-07-06redhat
redhatredhat-virtualization-host-0:4.4.6-20210615.0.el8_42021-06-22redhat
redhatpolkit-0:0.115-11.el8_4.12021-06-03redhat
redhatpolkit-0:0.115-9.el8_1.12021-06-03redhat
redhatpolkit-0:0.115-11.el8_2.12021-06-03redhat

Patches are aggregated from vendor advisories (Red Hat, Microsoft, Cisco, GitHub) and package ecosystems (OSV, GHSA). Multiple rows for the same upstream release have been deduplicated.

Affected Packages

(4 across 4 ecosystems)
Debian:11(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
policykit-1—0.105-31—
Debian:12(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
policykit-1—0.105-31—
Debian:13(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
policykit-1—0.105-31—
Debian:14(1)
PackageVulnerable rangeFixed inDependents
policykit-1—0.105-31—

Weakness Classification(2)

MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration — the root-cause categories this CVE belongs to.

Additional Vendor Advisories

(6)

Vendors that published advisories for this CVE beyond the curated set above. Broader coverage but minimal per-row detail — click through for the original advisory.

Data Freshness Timeline

(refreshed 94× in last 7d / 412× in last 30d)

Each row is a source pipeline that fetched or updated this CVE on that date, with what changed. For example, "NVD update" means NVD published or revised its analysis for this CVE; "MITRE cvelistV5" means we ingested or refreshed it from the CNA feed. Most recent first.

Showing the most recent 100 of 1,351 total refreshes for this CVE.

  1. 2026-09-08 10:00 UTCVendor advisory
  2. 2026-09-08 10:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-09-08 05:52 UTCVendor advisory
  4. 2026-09-08 05:51 UTCGHSA enrichment
  5. 2026-09-08 01:40 UTCVendor advisory
  6. 2026-09-08 01:39 UTCGHSA enrichment
  7. 2026-09-07 21:31 UTCVendor advisory
  8. 2026-09-07 21:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  9. 2026-09-07 17:21 UTCVendor advisory
  10. 2026-09-07 17:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-09-07 13:12 UTCVendor advisory
  12. 2026-09-07 13:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-09-07 09:01 UTCVendor advisory
  14. 2026-09-07 09:01 UTCGHSA enrichment
  15. 2026-09-07 04:50 UTCVendor advisory
  16. 2026-09-07 04:49 UTCGHSA enrichment
  17. 2026-09-07 00:40 UTCVendor advisory
  18. 2026-09-07 00:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-09-06 20:32 UTCVendor advisory
  20. 2026-09-06 20:32 UTCGHSA enrichment
  21. 2026-09-06 16:23 UTCEG score recompute
  22. 2026-09-06 16:23 UTCVendor advisory
  23. 2026-09-06 16:23 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-06 13:45 UTCEPSS rescore
  25. 2026-09-06 12:13 UTCVendor advisory
Show 75 more
  1. 2026-09-06 12:13 UTCGHSA enrichment
  2. 2026-09-06 08:02 UTCVendor advisory
  3. 2026-09-06 08:02 UTCGHSA enrichment
  4. 2026-09-06 03:53 UTCVendor advisory
  5. 2026-09-06 03:53 UTCGHSA enrichment
  6. 2026-09-05 23:44 UTCVendor advisory
  7. 2026-09-05 23:44 UTCGHSA enrichment
  8. 2026-09-05 19:34 UTCVendor advisory
  9. 2026-09-05 19:34 UTCGHSA enrichment
  10. 2026-09-05 15:25 UTCEG score recompute
  11. 2026-09-05 15:25 UTCVendor advisory
  12. 2026-09-05 15:25 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-09-05 15:25 UTCEPSS rescore
  14. 2026-09-05 11:15 UTCVendor advisory
  15. 2026-09-05 11:15 UTCGHSA enrichment
  16. 2026-09-05 07:06 UTCVendor advisory
  17. 2026-09-05 07:06 UTCGHSA enrichment
  18. 2026-09-05 02:57 UTCVendor advisory
  19. 2026-09-05 02:57 UTCGHSA enrichment
  20. 2026-09-04 22:48 UTCVendor advisory
  21. 2026-09-04 22:47 UTCGHSA enrichment
  22. 2026-09-04 18:39 UTCVendor advisory
  23. 2026-09-04 18:39 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-04 17:38 UTCCISA KEV update
  25. 2026-09-04 14:28 UTCEG score recompute
  26. 2026-09-04 14:28 UTCVendor advisory
  27. 2026-09-04 14:27 UTCGHSA enrichment
  28. 2026-09-04 13:57 UTCEPSS rescore
  29. 2026-09-04 10:18 UTCVendor advisory
  30. 2026-09-04 10:18 UTCGHSA enrichment
  31. 2026-09-04 06:09 UTCEG score recompute
  32. 2026-09-04 06:09 UTCVendor advisory
  33. 2026-09-04 06:09 UTCGHSA enrichment
  34. 2026-09-04 05:03 UTCEPSS rescore
  35. 2026-09-04 02:00 UTCVendor advisory
  36. 2026-09-04 02:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  37. 2026-09-03 21:49 UTCVendor advisory
  38. 2026-09-03 21:49 UTCGHSA enrichment
  39. 2026-09-03 17:39 UTCVendor advisory
  40. 2026-09-03 17:38 UTCGHSA enrichment
  41. 2026-09-03 13:29 UTCVendor advisory
  42. 2026-09-03 13:29 UTCGHSA enrichment
  43. 2026-09-03 09:19 UTCVendor advisory
  44. 2026-09-03 09:19 UTCGHSA enrichment
  45. 2026-09-03 05:11 UTCVendor advisory
  46. 2026-09-03 05:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  47. 2026-09-03 01:00 UTCVendor advisory
  48. 2026-09-03 00:59 UTCGHSA enrichment
  49. 2026-09-02 20:50 UTCVendor advisory
  50. 2026-09-02 20:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  51. 2026-09-02 17:33 UTCCISA KEV update
  52. 2026-09-02 16:41 UTCEG score recompute
  53. 2026-09-02 16:41 UTCVendor advisory
  54. 2026-09-02 16:41 UTCGHSA enrichment
  55. 2026-09-02 14:09 UTCEPSS rescore
  56. 2026-09-02 12:31 UTCVendor advisory
  57. 2026-09-02 12:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  58. 2026-09-02 08:20 UTCVendor advisory
  59. 2026-09-02 08:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  60. 2026-09-02 04:11 UTCVendor advisory
  61. 2026-09-02 04:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  62. 2026-09-01 23:59 UTCVendor advisory
  63. 2026-09-01 23:59 UTCGHSA enrichment
  64. 2026-09-01 19:50 UTCVendor advisory
  65. 2026-09-01 19:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  66. 2026-09-01 15:40 UTCEG score recompute
  67. 2026-09-01 15:40 UTCVendor advisory
  68. 2026-09-01 15:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  69. 2026-09-01 13:50 UTCEPSS rescore
  70. 2026-09-01 11:31 UTCVendor advisory
  71. 2026-09-01 11:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  72. 2026-09-01 07:21 UTCEG score recompute
  73. 2026-09-01 07:21 UTCVendor advisory
  74. 2026-09-01 07:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  75. 2026-09-01 03:33 UTCEPSS rescore

Publicly available exploits

(10 references)

Working exploit code is in the public domain (10 GitHub PoCs). Defenders should treat patch urgency accordingly — public PoCs typically lead to mass-exploitation within 24-72 hours.

  • GitHub PoCKyyomaa/CVE-2021-3560-EXPLOIT
    First seen Mar 24, 2024

    Part of my cybersecurity thesis consists in exploring and exploiting this vulnerability.

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCLucasPDiniz/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Nov 8, 2023

    Exploitation of the CVE-2021-3560 polkit vulnerability

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCUNICORDev/exploit-CVE-2021-3560
    First seen May 2, 2022

    Exploit for CVE-2021-3560 (Polkit) - Local Privilege Escalation

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCwinmin/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Apr 30, 2022

    PolicyKit CVE-2021-3560 Exploitation (Authentication Agent)

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCRicterZ/CVE-2021-3560-Authentication-Agent
    First seen Apr 29, 2022

    PolicyKit CVE-2021-3560 Exploit (Authentication Agent)

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCchenaotian/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Jan 31, 2022

    CVE-2021-3560 analysis

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoC0dayNinja/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Jul 30, 2021

    Polkit D-Bus Authentication Bypass Exploit

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCBizarreLove/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Jul 28, 2021

    NYCY_homework_&_meeting

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCcpu0x00/CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Jul 2, 2021

    ubuntu new PrivEsc race condition vulnerability

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCAssassinUKG/Polkit-CVE-2021-3560
    First seen Jun 29, 2021
    Open source ↗

Frequently asked(6)

What is CVE-2021-3560?
CVE-2021-3560 is a critical vulnerability published on February 16, 2022. It was found that polkit could be tricked into bypassing the credential checks for D-Bus requests, elevating the privileges of the requestor to the root user. This flaw could be used by an unprivileged local attacker to, for example, create a new local administrator. The highest threat from this…
When was CVE-2021-3560 disclosed?
CVE-2021-3560 was first published in the National Vulnerability Database on February 16, 2022, with the most recent update on November 6, 2025. EchelonGraph re-ingests CVE updates from NVD on a 2-hour cycle, so this page reflects the latest published state.
Is CVE-2021-3560 actively exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-3560 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 12, 2023, affecting Red Hat Polkit. KEV listing indicates confirmed exploitation in the wild; this CVE warrants immediate patching attention.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-3560?
CVE-2021-3560 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.8 (NVD). EchelonGraph synthesises NVD + CISA KEV + FIRST EPSS + GHSA into a combined EG score of 9.0.
Which products are affected by CVE-2021-3560?
CVE-2021-3560 affects Red Hat Polkit. The full affected-products list, including version ranges and fixed versions, is shown in the Affected Packages section of this page.
How do I remediate CVE-2021-3560?
Patch to the fixed version published by the affected vendor. Where vendor advisories exist for CVE-2021-3560, EchelonGraph cross-links them in the Vendor Advisories panel below — those typically contain the canonical remediation steps, fixed version numbers, and any vendor-specific mitigations.

Dependency Blast Radius

See which npm, PyPI, Go, and Maven packages are affected by CVE-2021-3560

Explore →

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