CVE-2021-3982
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation...
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
- Record
CVE-2021-3982- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 2.1 Low
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-273
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
- Record
CVE-2021-3982- Weakness
- CWE-273
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-27183 No score
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
- Record
EUVD-2021-27183- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w69m-w3gr-72pp
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation...
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
- Record
GHSA-w69m-w3gr-72pp- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-273
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-3982
Linux distributions using CAP_SYS_NICE for gnome-shell may be exposed to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker, with low privilege permissions, may take advantage of the way CAP_SYS_NICE is currently implemented and eventually load code to increase its process scheduler priority leading to possible DoS of other services running in the same machine.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-3982- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2022-0007 No score
Updated gnome-shell packages fix security vulnerability
Drop extra capabilities from gnome-shell. They're optional and they break shutdown from the login screen with new glibs. (CVE-2021-3982)
- Record
MGASA-2022-0007- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
gnome-shellMageia:8 |
before 3.38.3-2.1.mga8 | 3.38.3-2.1.mga8 |
gnome-shellUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 3.16.4-0ubuntu13.18.1-1ubuntu13.18.2-0ubuntu13.18.2-0ubuntu23.18.3-3ubuntu1 Show 7 moreShow less3.18.4-0ubuntu13.18.4-0ubuntu23.18.4-0ubuntu33.18.5-0ubuntu0.13.18.5-0ubuntu0.23.18.5-0ubuntu0.33.18.5-0ubuntu0.3+esm1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, products | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-3982 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Gnome Gnome-shell, published January 5, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.29%, the 21st percentile. Fixed in gnome-shell 3.38.3-2.1.mga8.