CVE-2021-3148: Command Injection in SaltStack Salt

salt Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

27/02/2021

Disclosed on

CVE-2021-3148

CVE

Yes i

Fix available

Critical

Severity

9.8

CVSS Score

CVE-2021-3148: An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 3002.5. Affects salt across 15 version ranges.

< 2015.8.10 >= 2015.8.11, < 2015.8.13 >= 2016.3.0, < 2016.3.4 >= 2016.3.5, < 2016.3.6 >= 2016.3.7, < 2016.3.8 >= 2016.11.0, < 2016.11.3 >= 2016.11.4, < 2016.11.5 >= 2016.11.7, < 2016.11.10 >= 2017.7.0, < 2017.7.8 >= 2018.3.0rc1, < 2019.2.0rc1 >= 2019.2.0, < 2019.2.5 >= 2019.2.6, < 2019.2.8 >= 3000, < 3000.6 >= 3001, < 3001.4 >= 3002, < 3002.5

Fixed in 15 releases; the minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run. How to fix ↓

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Background

SaltStack Salt is an open-source configuration management and remote execution tool. It is widely used for managing and automating the configuration of servers and network devices. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-3148 allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on a Salt master server by sending crafted web requests to the Salt API. This vulnerability exists due to a flaw in the handling of single and double quotes in the salt/utils/thin.py module.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability arises from the inconsistent handling of single and double quotes in the salt/utils/thin.py module. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker can inject arbitrary commands into the gen_thin() function of the thin.py module. This can lead to remote command execution with the privileges of the user running the Salt master server. An attacker with access to the Salt API can exploit this vulnerability to execute unauthorized commands, potentially compromising the entire Salt infrastructure.

How To Fix

Latest published version: 3008.3.0 as of 22 Oct 2026

pip install --upgrade "salt==3008.3.0"

Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the versions below are the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.

If you can't move to the latest

The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.

< 2015.8.10 2015.8.10
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2015.8.10"
```
>= 2015.8.11, < 2015.8.13 2015.8.13
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2015.8.13"
```
>= 2016.3.0, < 2016.3.4 2016.3.4
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.3.4"
```
>= 2016.3.5, < 2016.3.6 2016.3.6
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.3.6"
```
>= 2016.3.7, < 2016.3.8 2016.3.8
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.3.8"
```
>= 2016.11.0, < 2016.11.3 2016.11.3
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.11.3"
```

Show all 15 release lines

>= 2016.11.4, < 2016.11.5 2016.11.5
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.11.5"
```

>= 2016.11.7, < 2016.11.10 2016.11.10

pip install --upgrade "salt==2016.11.10"

>= 2017.7.0, < 2017.7.8 2017.7.8
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2017.7.8"
```
>= 2018.3.0rc1, < 2019.2.0rc1 2019.2.0rc1
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2019.2.0rc1"
```
>= 2019.2.0, < 2019.2.5 2019.2.5
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2019.2.5"
```
>= 2019.2.6, < 2019.2.8 2019.2.8
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==2019.2.8"
```
>= 3000, < 3000.6 3000.6
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==3000.6"
```
>= 3001, < 3001.4 3001.4
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==3001.4"
```
>= 3002, < 3002.5 3002.5
```
pip install --upgrade "salt==3002.5"
```

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Workaround

If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround can be implemented by disabling the Salt API or restricting access to trusted IP addresses only. By limiting access to the Salt API, the attack surface is reduced, making it harder for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability.

Conclusion

The command injection vulnerability in SaltStack Salt (CVE-2021-3148) poses a significant risk to organizations using Salt for configuration management. It is crucial to update to the latest version or apply the recommended workaround to mitigate the risk of exploitation. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for salt →

FAQ

What is the impact of this vulnerability?

This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on a Salt master server, potentially compromising the entire Salt infrastructure.

Is authentication required to exploit this vulnerability?

No, authentication is not required. An attacker with access to the Salt API can exploit this vulnerability.

Are there any known instances of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild?

There have been reports of active exploitation of this vulnerability in the wild. It is crucial to update Salt installations to the latest version to mitigate the risk.

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

Yes, this vulnerability can be exploited remotely by sending crafted web requests to the Salt API.

Are there any alternative solutions to mitigate the risk?

Apart from upgrading to the latest version, a temporary workaround is to disable the Salt API or restrict access to trusted IP addresses only.

References

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