CVE-2021-21292

SYSTEM privilege escalation via unquoted Java path

Published Feb 2, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Unquoted service-path handling in Traccar Server before 4.12 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges on Windows. WindowsService.install builds the service command with the java.home\bin\java.exe path unquoted, so Windows can execute an attacker-controlled binary from an earlier path segment. Exploitation requires write access to the host filesystem and a Java installation path containing a space; the resulting code runs as the Traccar service account.

CVSS severity6.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted service-path handling in Traccar Server before 4.12 allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges on Windows. WindowsService.install builds the service command with the java.home\bin\java.exe path unquoted, so Windows can execute an attacker-controlled binary from an earlier path segment. Exploitation requires write access to the host filesystem and a Java installation path containing a space; the resulting code runs as the Traccar service account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21292
Published
Feb 2, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Traccar
Product
Traccar Server
Classifications
CWE-428, CAPEC-38, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 2, 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=< 4.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Traccar · Traccar Serverversion=< 4.12

Published CVSS scores

6.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
5.5GitHub CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
1.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
CAPEC-38Leveraging/Manipulating Configuration File Search Paths
T1574.009Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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