Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
On Windows, older ripgrep versions could be tricked into running a program from the current folder when certain search options were used. This matters mainly for developer and workstation environments where users run ripgrep in untrusted directories. Public sources do not show active exploitation or a CVSS score.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted workstation and developer-tool risk, not an internet-facing emergency. Remediate through software inventory and upgrade hygiene, with higher priority where Windows users work with untrusted repositories or archives.
Technical view
CVE-2021-3013 affects ripgrep before version 13 on Windows. The issue is described as arbitrary program execution from the current working directory when using -z/--search-zip or --pre. The source bundle does not provide CWE, CVSS, exploit maturity, or detailed remediation beyond the version boundary.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Windows systems with ripgrep versions before 13, especially developer machines, build hosts, or scripts that run ripgrep in directories influenced by untrusted content.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not indicate active exploitation, and the CVE is not in KEV. Abuse appears to require a vulnerable Windows ripgrep invocation using the affected options in a risky working directory context.
Researcher notes
The public bundle is sparse: no CVSS, CWE, affected CPEs, or exploit evidence are provided. The strongest claims supported are Windows-only impact, ripgrep before 13, and triggering through the named options from the current working directory.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Windows systems using ripgrep and record installed versions.
- Prioritize updating ripgrep versions before 13 to version 13 or later.
- Review scripts that call ripgrep with -z, --search-zip, or --pre.
- Avoid running vulnerable ripgrep from directories containing untrusted files.
- Check the ripgrep changelog and vendor guidance for any deployment-specific notes.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether ripgrep is installed on Windows endpoints or build systems.
- Verify installed ripgrep versions are 13 or later.
- Search automation and developer scripts for affected ripgrep options.
- Review endpoint telemetry for unexpected program launches from project directories.
- Document any systems that cannot be upgraded and apply local risk controls.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2021-3013 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep/blob/master/CHANGELOG.mdCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep/blob/e48a17e1891e1ea9dd06ba0e48d5fb140ca7c0c4/CHANGELOG.mdCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.