CVE-2021-21548Network attack vector

Traffic interception via improper certificate validation

Published Mar 17, 2023 · Updated Feb 26, 2025

Improper certificate validation in affected Dell PowerMax management products allows remote attackers to intercept and alter traffic. The certificate-handling path accepts a crafted certificate without proper validation; Dell has not identified the code locus or failed check. Exploitation requires a man-in-the-middle position and exposes data in transit to reading or modification without authentication.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper certificate validation in affected Dell PowerMax management products allows remote attackers to intercept and alter traffic. The certificate-handling path accepts a crafted certificate without proper validation; Dell has not identified the code locus or failed check. Exploitation requires a man-in-the-middle position and exposes data in transit to reading or modification without authentication.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21548
Published
Mar 17, 2023
Updated
Feb 26, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-295, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.4DellCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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