CVE-2021-1831
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe issue was addressed with improved permissions logic. This issue is fixed in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. An application may allow shortcuts to access restricted files.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceA permissions bypass vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS allows the Shortcuts application to access restricted files that should be protected by the operating system's permission model. The vulnerability stems from insufficient permission checks when shortcuts attempt to access protected file system locations.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 14.5< 14.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check iOS/iPadOS versionOpen Settings > General > About > Version on the deviceAffected if Version number is below 14.5 (for example, 14.4.1, 14.4, 14.3, etc.)
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Identify the exact iOS build numberIn Settings > General > About > Version, note the full build number (such as 18E166 or 18D52)Affected if Build number corresponds to an iOS release prior to the 14.5 update (generally builds below 18E166 for iOS 14.5)
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Verify Shortcuts app is presentLocate the Shortcuts app (purple icon with white shortcut symbol) in the app library or on the home screenAffected if Shortcuts app is installed and functional - the vulnerability only affects devices with this app enabled
The device is affected if it runs iOS or iPadOS version 14.4 or lower AND has the Shortcuts application installed, as the vulnerability allows unauthorized file access through that app.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped14.5
Update affected iOS/iPadOS devices to version 14.5 or later to apply the improved permissions logic that enforces proper access controls on restricted files.
iOS 14.5 / iPadOS 14.5
- Open the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad
- Tap on 'General'
- Tap on 'Software Update'
- If an update is available, tap 'Download and Install'
- Ensure the device is connected to Wi-Fi and plugged into power
- Enter the device passcode if prompted
- Wait for the download to complete, then tap 'Install'
- Allow the device to restart and complete the installation
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,880.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-1831 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-1831 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data