CVE-2021-21703
CVSS v3
7
HIGH
EPSS Score
1.4 %
exploit probability, as of 2026-09-25
CISA KEV
No
known exploited
Exploitation
—
SSVC status
Description
In PHP versions 7.3.x up to and including 7.3.31, 7.4.x below 7.4.25 and 8.0.x below 8.0.12, when running PHP FPM SAPI with main FPM daemon process running as root and child worker processes running as lower-privileged users, it is possible for the child processes to access memory shared with the main process and write to it, modifying it in a way that would cause the root process to conduct invalid memory reads and writes, which can be used to escalate privileges from local unprivileged user to the root user.
Technical details
- Published
- 2021-10-25
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2021-21703?
In PHP versions 7.3.x up to and including 7.3.31, 7.4.x below 7.4.25 and 8.0.x below 8.0.12, when running PHP FPM SAPI with main FPM daemon process running as root and child worker processes running as lower-privileged users, it is possible for the child processes to access memory shared with the main process and write to it, modifying it in a way that would cause the root process to conduct invalid memory reads and writes, which can be used to escalate privileges from local unprivileged user to the root user.
Is CVE-2021-21703 actively exploited?
Active exploitation of CVE-2021-21703 has not been confirmed. Its EPSS score was 1.4% on 2026-09-25, the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2021-21703?
CVE-2021-21703 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7 (HIGH severity).
Is CVE-2021-21703 affecting your environment?
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