CVE-2021-32635
Action Commands (run/shell/exec) Against Library URIs Ignore Configured Remote Endpoint
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.3
Action Commands (run/shell/exec) Against Library URIs Ignore Configured Remote Endpoint
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
CVE-2021-32635- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-923, CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1270
6.3
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
EUVD-2021-1270- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394
6.3
Action Commands (run/shell/exec) Against Library URIs Ignore Configured Remote Endpoint
Impact
Due to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint.
An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container.
Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint.
Patches
All users should upgrade to Singularity 3.7.4 or later.
A patch was applied at: https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/commit/d52ae9d13979733c5e987a566fae59ed6f1bf796
Workarounds
Users who only interact with the default remote endpoint are not affected.
Installations with an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys are not affected.
For more information
General questions about the impact of the advisory can be asked in the:
Any sensitive security concerns should be directed to: [email protected]
See our Security Policy here: https://sylabs.io/security-policy
- Record
GHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.3
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
CVE-2021-32635- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 2.0
- 6.8 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-923
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2021-32635
6.3
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
ALPINE-CVE-2021-32635- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-03
OSV
6.3
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
CVE-2021-32635- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVGHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394
6.3
Action Commands (run/shell/exec) Against Library URIs Ignore Configured Remote Endpoint
Impact
Due to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint.
An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container.
Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint.
Patches
All users should upgrade to Singularity 3.7.4 or later.
A patch was applied at: https://github.com/sylabs/singularity/commit/d52ae9d13979733c5e987a566fae59ed6f1bf796
Workarounds
Users who only interact with the default remote endpoint are not affected.
Installations with an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys are not affected.
For more information
General questions about the impact of the advisory can be asked in the:
Any sensitive security concerns should be directed to: [email protected]
See our Security Policy here: https://sylabs.io/security-policy
- Record
GHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-32635
6.3
Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands (run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-32635- CVSS 3.1
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2022-0006 No score
Updated singularity packages fix security vulnerability
A dependency used to extract docker/OCI image layers can be tricked into
modifying host files by creating a malicious layer that has a symlink with
the name "." (or "/"), when running as root. (CVE-2021-29136)
Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, singularity action commands
(run/shell/exec) specifying a container using a library:// URI
will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote
endpoint (cloud.sylabs.io) rather than the configured remote endpoint.
An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default
remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim
with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container.
Only action commands (run/shell/exec) against library:// URIs are
affected. Other commands such as pull / push respect the configured
remote endpoint. (CVE-2021-32635)
If a Content-Type header changed between two pulls of the same digest, a
client may interpret the resulting content differently. (CVE-2021-41190)
- Record
MGASA-2022-0006- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:11384-1 No score
singularity-3.8.3-1.2 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the singularity-3.8.3-1.2 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:11384-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/sylabs/singularityGo |
3.7.2 up to 3.7.4 | 3.7.4 |
singularityAlpine:v3.19 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityAlpine:v3.20 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityAlpine:v3.21 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityAlpine:v3.22 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityAlpine:v3.23 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityAlpine:v3.24 |
before 3.7.4-r0 | 3.7.4-r0 |
singularityMageia:8 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 3.8.5-1.mga8 | 3.8.5-1.mga8 |
singularity-containerUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.3.1-22.3.2-12.4.1-12.4.2-22.4.2-32.4.2-42.4.2-4ubuntu0.1~esm1 |
None known |
singularity-containerUbuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.1.1+ds2-14.1.1+ds2-1build14.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.14.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.24.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.2+esm14.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.34.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.3+esm14.1.1+ds2-1ubuntu0.3+esm2 |
None known |
singularity-containerUbuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.1.5+ds4-1 |
None known |
singularity-containerUbuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.1.5+ds4-1 |
None known |
singularityopenSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 12 CVEs |
before 3.8.3-1.2 | 3.8.3-1.2 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| affected, aliases, references | OSV | |
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-32635 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.3) in Sylabs Singularity, published May 28, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.42%, the 72nd percentile. Fixed in github.com/sylabs/singularity 3.7.4.
References
github.com/sylabs/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394
github.com/sylabs/singularity/releases/tag/v3.7.4
security.gentoo.org/glsa/202107-50
github.com/hpcng/singularity/security/advisories/GHSA-jq42-hfch-42f3
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32635
github.com/sylabs/singularity/commit/d52ae9d13979733c5e987a566fae59ed6f1bf796
Show 23 moreShow less
github.com/advisories/GHSA-5mv9-q7fq-9394
security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2021-32635
github.com/sylabs/singularity
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2022-0006.html
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=29027
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/BMX7XV7YNNNOVKKIOOPNENIXY64H4ZEY
lists.opensuse.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/U5WJLLGD3LSUWRS73C4NPIWYTMST4QO5
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/D2IU6GJMCV5CQKUQZLHBP6EHSIZZXC3X
lists.opensuse.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/L3AGIEOXZIUUEYYMWKJCJCQI7V235UTR
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-32635
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32635
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-12021
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-19295
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-11328
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-19724
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-13845
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-13846
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-13847
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-15229
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-25039
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-25040
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-29136
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-32635