CVE-2021-23556 is a high-severity (CVSS 8) vulnerability in guake. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for guake — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Command injection in guake
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2021-23556 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,386 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
guakeReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Guake is a drop-down terminal for GNOME. The package guake before 3.8.5 is vulnerable to Exposed Dangerous Method or Function due to the exposure of execute_command and execute_command_by_uuid methods via the d-bus interface, which makes it possible for a malicious user to run an arbitrary command via the d-bus method. Note: Exploitation requires the user to have installed another malicious program that will be able to send dbus signals or run terminal commands.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | guake | all versions | 3.8.5pip install --upgrade 'guake==3.8.5' |
Affected Products
guakeguake-projectResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for guake, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update guake to 3.8.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2021-23556 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2021-23556 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.