CVE-2021-20334

Local code execution with user privileges

Published Apr 6, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Improper privilege management in MongoDB Compass 1.3.0 through 1.24.1 allows local users to execute software on Windows. MongoDB has not published the affected code path or the operation that mishandles local input. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, and code runs with the privileges of the account running Compass.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in MongoDB Compass 1.3.0 through 1.24.1 allows local users to execute software on Windows. MongoDB has not published the affected code path or the operation that mishandles local input. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, and code runs with the privileges of the account running Compass.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20334
Published
Apr 6, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
MongoDB
Product
MongoDB Compass
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 6, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=1.3.0 <1.x* changes=[{"at":"1.25.0","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

MongoDB · MongoDB Compassversion=1.3.0 <1.x* changes=[{"at":"1.25.0","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
4.8MongoDBCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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-269Improper Privilege Management
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo