Gradle is a build tool with a focus on build automation. In versions prior to 7.2, start scripts generated by the `application` plugin and the `gradlew` script are both vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when an attacker is able to change environment variables for the user running the script. This may impact those who use `gradlew` on Unix-like systems or use the scripts generated by Gradle in thieir application on Unix-like systems. For this vulnerability to be exploitable, an attacker needs to be able to set the value of particular environment variables and have those environment variables be seen by the vulnerable scripts. This issue has been patched in Gradle 7.2 by removing the use of `eval` and requiring the use of the `bash` shell. There are a few workarounds available. For CI/CD systems using the Gradle build tool, one may ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes `gradlew`. If one is unable to upgrade to Gradle 7.2, one may generate a new `gradlew` script with Gradle 7.2 and use it for older versions of Gradle. Fpplications using start scripts generated by Gradle, one may ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes the start script. A vulnerable start script could be manually patched to remove the use of `eval` or the use of environment variables that affect the application's command-line. If the application is simple enough, one may be able to avoid the use of the start scripts by running the application directly with Java command.

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

  - Gradle is a build tool with a focus on build automation. In versions prior to 7.2, start scripts generated     by the `application` plugin and the `gradlew` script are both vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when     an attacker is able to change environment variables for the user running the script. This may impact those     who use `gradlew` on Unix-like systems or use the scripts generated by Gradle in thieir application on     Unix-like systems. For this vulnerability to be exploitable, an attacker needs to be able to set the value     of particular environment variables and have those environment variables be seen by the vulnerable     scripts. This issue has been patched in Gradle 7.2 by removing the use of `eval` and requiring the use of     the `bash` shell. There are a few workarounds available. For CI/CD systems using the Gradle build tool,     one may ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes     `gradlew`. If one is unable to upgrade to Gradle 7.2, one may generate a new `gradlew` script with Gradle     7.2 and use it for older versions of Gradle. Fpplications using start scripts generated by Gradle, one may     ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes the     start script. A vulnerable start script could be manually patched to remove the use of `eval` or the use     of environment variables that affect the application's command-line. If the application is simple enough,     one may be able to avoid the use of the start scripts by running the application directly with Java     command. (CVE-2021-32751)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - Gradle is a build tool with a focus on build automation. In versions prior to 7.2, start scripts generated
    by the `application` plugin and the `gradlew` script are both vulnerable to arbitrary code execution when
    an attacker is able to change environment variables for the user running the script. This may impact those
    who use `gradlew` on Unix-like systems or use the scripts generated by Gradle in thieir application on
    Unix-like systems. For this vulnerability to be exploitable, an attacker needs to be able to set the value
    of particular environment variables and have those environment variables be seen by the vulnerable
    scripts. This issue has been patched in Gradle 7.2 by removing the use of `eval` and requiring the use of
    the `bash` shell. There are a few workarounds available. For CI/CD systems using the Gradle build tool,
    one may ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes
    `gradlew`. If one is unable to upgrade to Gradle 7.2, one may generate a new `gradlew` script with Gradle
    7.2 and use it for older versions of Gradle. Fpplications using start scripts generated by Gradle, one may
    ensure that untrusted users are unable to change environment variables for the user that executes the
    start script. A vulnerable start script could be manually patched to remove the use of `eval` or the use
    of environment variables that affect the application's command-line. If the application is simple enough,
    one may be able to avoid the use of the start scripts by running the application directly with Java
    command. (CVE-2021-32751)

The remote SUSE Linux SLED15 / SLED_SAP15 / SLES15 / SLES_SAP15 / openSUSE 15 host has a package installed that is affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the SUSE-SU-2023:2203-1 advisory.

    - CVE-2021-32751: Fixed arbitrary code execution in `application` plugin and the `gradlew` script     (bsc#1188569).

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the SUSE security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
257718	Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2021-32751	Nessus	Misc.	high
404794	Alpine: gradle: security update to 7.2-r0	Tenable Cloud Security	Alpine Linux Local Security Checks	high
404794	Alpine: gradle: security update to 7.2-r0	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	Alpine Linux Local Security Checks	high
175816	SUSE SLED15 / SLES15 / openSUSE 15 Security Update : gradle (SUSE-SU-2023:2203-1)	Nessus	SuSE Local Security Checks	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2021-32751

high

Tenable Plugins

high

high

high

high