CVE-2021-3040
Bridgecrew Checkov: Unsafe deserialization of Terraform files allows code execution
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- palo_alto
Description
An unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Bridgecrew Checkov by Prisma Cloud allows arbitrary code execution when processing a malicious terraform file. This issue impacts Checkov 2.0 versions earlier than Checkov 2.0.139. Checkov 1.0 versions are not impacted.
Timeline
ID reserved
By palo_alto
- 5 months later
· 5 months later
Published
- 3 years later
· 3 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| palo_altoCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium6.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | High7.2 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 1.3% · top 29% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.7.
Weakness
Affected products
Palo Alto Networks · Bridgecrew Checkov
- unaffected 1.0 all
- affected 2.0 – < 2.0.139
What to do
Solution: This issue is fixed in Checkov 2.0.139 and all later versions.
Workaround: Do not run Checkov on terraform files from untrusted sources or pull requests.
Exploitation: Palo Alto Networks is not aware of any malicious exploitation of this issue.
References (1)
- https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2021-3040 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2021-3040)Record last updated .