CVE-2021-20037

Local privilege escalation via permissive installer files

Published Sep 21, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Incorrect default permissions in SonicWall Global VPN Client 4.10.5 and earlier allow local users to execute commands with elevated privileges. The installer creates files with permissions that permit unprivileged modification, but SonicWall has not identified the affected file or privileged execution path. Exploitation requires existing local low-privileged access and can compromise the host operating system.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect default permissions in SonicWall Global VPN Client 4.10.5 and earlier allow local users to execute commands with elevated privileges. The installer creates files with permissions that permit unprivileged modification, but SonicWall has not identified the affected file or privileged execution path. Exploitation requires existing local low-privileged access and can compromise the host operating system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20037
Published
Sep 21, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
SonicWall
Product
Global VPN Client
Classifications
CWE-276, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 21, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Global VPN Client 4.10.5 and earlier

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

SonicWall · Global VPN Clientversion=Global VPN Client 4.10.5 and earlier

Published CVSS scores

7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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