CVE-2021-21553

CompAdmin privilege escalation via incorrect user management

Published Aug 2, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Incorrect user management in Dell PowerScale OneFS 8.1.0 through 9.1.0 allows local users to elevate CompAdmin privileges via local access. The user-management logic mishandles CompAdmin authorization, permitting a low-privileged CompAdmin account to obtain higher privileges and exit Compliance mode. Exploitation requires an authenticated local user and interaction with the OneFS management functions; successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the cluster.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect user management in Dell PowerScale OneFS 8.1.0 through 9.1.0 allows local users to elevate CompAdmin privileges via local access. The user-management logic mishandles CompAdmin authorization, permitting a low-privileged CompAdmin account to obtain higher privileges and exit Compliance mode. Exploitation requires an authenticated local user and interaction with the OneFS management functions; successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the cluster.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-21553
Published
Aug 2, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Dell Technologies
Product
PowerScale OneFS
Classifications
CWE-286, T1098
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 2, 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

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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=8.1.0-9.1.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell Technologies · PowerScale OneFSversion=8.1.0-9.1.0

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.3Dell TechnologiesCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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.

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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-286Incorrect User Management
T1098Account Manipulation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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