CVE-2021-32635: Action Commands (run/shell/exec) Against Library URIs Ignore Configured Remote Endpoint

Severity: medium (CVSS 6.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 1.4% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2021-05-28 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-20

Description

Singularity is an open source container platform. In verions 3.7.2 and 3.7.3, Dde to incorrect use of a default URL, `singularity` action commands (`run`/`shell`/`exec`) specifying a container using a `library://` URI will always attempt to retrieve the container from the default remote endpoint (`cloud.sylabs.io`) rather than the configured remote endpoint. An attacker may be able to push a malicious container to the default remote endpoint with a URI that is identical to the URI used by a victim with a non-default remote endpoint, thus executing the malicious container. Only action commands (`run`/`shell`/`exec`) against `library://` URIs are affected. Other commands such as `pull` / `push` respect the configured remote endpoint. The vulnerability is patched in Singularity version 3.7.4. Two possible workarounds exist: Users can only interact with the default remote endpoint, or an installation can have an execution control list configured to restrict execution to containers signed with specific secure keys.

Affected products

sylabs singularity: 3.7.2, 3.7.3

References

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