CVE-2021-21551KEV · OVERDUECWE-782

Dell dbutil Driver Insufficient Access Control Vulnerability

High · published May 4, 2021

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 8.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 99.6th percentile for exploit probability.

1648
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
8.8
EPSS
80%
Percentile
99.6
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

⚡ A local authenticated user can exploit this access control vulnerability in Dell's dbutil_2_3.sys driver — think of it as a sneaky worker finding a way to access restricted areas of a building! 🔥 Imagine a building where the doors to the server room are supposed to be locked, but one employee has a special pass that isn’t properly checked. With that pass, they can get access to sensitive data, tamper with systems, or even shut down operations altogether. The consequences here are no joke! An attacker could escalate their privileges, potentially leading to a complete takeover of the system, denial of service for other users, or theft of sensitive information. This could disrupt operations and put critical data at risk!

Put simply

Imagine a building where the doors to the server room are supposed to be locked, but one employee has a special pass that isn’t properly checked. With that pass, they can get access to sensitive data, tamper with systems, or even shut down operations altogether. This vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls in the dbutil_2_3.sys driver, which allows local authenticated users to gain elevated privileges, effectively bypassing security mechanisms intended to protect sensitive system areas.

What to do

The consequences here are no joke! An attacker could escalate their privileges, potentially leading to a complete takeover of the system, denial of service for other users, or theft of sensitive information. This could disrupt operations and put critical data at risk! To secure your systems, patch the dbutil_2_3.sys driver immediately to the latest version that addresses this vulnerability. Additionally, review user access controls and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to critical systems. Regular audits can help ensure compliance! You've got this! Follow these steps and secure your systems like a pro! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
8.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.80058 · 99.6th percentile
Weakness
CWE-782 · Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control
Published
2021-05-04T15:15Z
KEV added
2022-03-31 · due 2022-04-21
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 25 AUG 00:01Z
    EPSS moved 53% → 79%
    epss
  • 31 MAR 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Apr 21
    kev
  • 04 MAY 15:15Z
    Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead to escalation of privileges, denial of service, or information…
    cvelistv5