CVE-2021-21513Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated administrator access via localhost WS-Management

Published Mar 2, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Authentication bypass in Dell OpenManage Server Administrator 9.5 allows remote attackers to gain administrator access through DWS. LoginServlet accepts arbitrary credentials for a localhost target because its WS-Management checks return success and assign the highest user-rights mask. Exploitation requires Microsoft Windows with the Web Server and Remote Enablement components installed and Managed System Login enabled, a setting disabled by default.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability5.74%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Dell OpenManage Server Administrator 9.5 allows remote attackers to gain administrator access through DWS. LoginServlet accepts arbitrary credentials for a localhost target because its WS-Management checks return success and assign the highest user-rights mask. Exploitation requires Microsoft Windows with the Web Server and Remote Enablement components installed and Managed System Login enabled, a setting disabled by default.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21513
Published
Mar 2, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Dell Technologies
Product
Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Managed Node
Classifications
CWE-287, CAPEC-115, T1210
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=unspecified <=9.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell Technologies · Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Managed Nodeversion=unspecified <=9.5

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8TenableCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.6Dell TechnologiesCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L
7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
CAPEC-115Authentication Bypass
T1210Exploitation of Remote Services

Public exploit references

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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