CVE-2021-4189
MEDIUMEPSS 87th pctlDescription
A flaw was found in Python, specifically in the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client library in PASV (passive) mode. The issue is how the FTP client trusts the host from the PASV response by default. This flaw allows an attacker to set up a malicious FTP server that can trick FTP clients into connecting back to a given IP address and port. This vulnerability could lead to FTP client scanning ports, which otherwise would not have been possible.
How to fix
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2019-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2019-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2019-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2019-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2021-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Elevated risk: more likely to be exploited than 87% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-252 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2005-4360 | High | 7.8 | 87% | - | - |
| CVE-2007-3798 | Critical | 9.8 | 70% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2010-0211 | Critical | 9.8 | 28% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2022-23626 | High | 8.5 | 9.9% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-10902 | High | 7.5 | 4.7% | - | - |
| CVE-2018-20216 | High | 7.5 | 3.9% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2021-4189?
Published advisories record a fix for 37 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2021-4189 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2021-4189 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 3.2% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 87% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2021-4189?
CVE-2021-4189 has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.3, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2021-4189 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for python (Amazon), python-debug (Amazon), python-debuginfo (Amazon), python-devel (Amazon), and 33 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2021-4189
Markdown
[](https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2021-4189)HTML
<a href="https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2021-4189"><img src="https://tridentstack.com/cve/badge/CVE-2021-4189.svg" alt="CVE-2021-4189"></a>Check your Linux endpoints for this class of vulnerability
TridentStack Control continuously scans Linux endpoints for known vulnerabilities and deploys the fixes from the same console. 200 endpoints free forever, no credit card.
This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-06-17.