--- title: "CVE-2021-38501\n | Ubuntu" description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things. url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-38501?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2021-38501 Publication date 3 November 2021 Last updated 25 August 2025 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) ## Cvss 3 Severity Score **8.8 · High** [Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-38501?format=md#impact-score) Toggle side navigation ## Description Mozilla developers reported memory safety bugs present in Firefox 92 and Firefox ESR 91.1. Some of these bugs showed evidence of memory corruption and we presume that with enough effort some of these could have been exploited to run arbitrary code. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 93, Thunderbird < 91.2, and Firefox ESR < 91.2. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-38501?format=md#notes) ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | firefox | 24.04 LTS noble | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 23.10 mantic | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 23.04 lunar | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 22.10 kinetic | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 21.10 impish | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu2 | | 21.04 hirsute | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu0.21.04.1 | | 20.04 LTS focal | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 93.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Ignored end of standard support, was needed | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | mozjs38 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release | | 23.10 mantic | Not in release | | 23.04 lunar | Not in release | | 22.10 kinetic | Not in release | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release | | 21.10 impish | Not in release | | 21.04 hirsute | Not in release | | 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Ignored | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | mozjs52 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release | | 23.10 mantic | Not in release | | 23.04 lunar | Not in release | | 22.10 kinetic | Not in release | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release | | 21.10 impish | Not in release | | 21.04 hirsute | Not in release | | 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Ignored | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | mozjs68 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release | | 23.10 mantic | Not in release | | 23.04 lunar | Not in release | | 22.10 kinetic | Not in release | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release | | 21.10 impish | Not in release | | 21.04 hirsute | Not in release | | 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | mozjs78 | 24.04 LTS noble | Not in release | | 23.10 mantic | Not in release | | 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Ignored | | 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | thunderbird | 24.04 LTS noble | Fixed 1:91.3.0+build2-0ubuntu1 | | 23.10 mantic | Fixed 1:91.3.0+build2-0ubuntu1 | | 23.04 lunar | Fixed 1:91.3.0+build2-0ubuntu1 | | 22.10 kinetic | Fixed 1:91.3.0+build2-0ubuntu1 | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Fixed 1:91.3.0+build2-0ubuntu1 | | 21.10 impish | Fixed 1:91.2.1+build1-0ubuntu0.21.10.1 | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Fixed 1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Ignored end of standard support, was needed | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | --- * [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security) * [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses) ## Notes --- ### [tyhicks](https://launchpad.net/~tyhicks) mozjs contains a copy of the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine ## Severity score breakdown CVSS version: CVSS v3.0 **Base score** 8.8 · High * Base metrics | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Attack vector | Network | | Attack complexity | Low | | Privileges required | None | | User interaction | Required | | Scope | Unchanged | | Confidentiality impact | High | | Integrity impact | High | | Availability impact | High | * Scores | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Base score | 8.8 · High | | Exploitability score | - | | Impact score | - | **Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-38501) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38501) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2021-38501) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-38501) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-5107-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-5107-1) + Firefox vulnerabilities + 7 October 2021 + [USN-5132-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-5132-1) + Thunderbird vulnerabilities + 3 November 2021 + [USN-5248-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-5248-1) + Thunderbird vulnerabilities + 21 January 2022 ### Other references * *