CVE-2021-22004

Minion subversion via unverified installer configuration

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper authentication in Salt before 3003.3 allows local users to subvert a Windows minion through a planted installer configuration. The minion installer accepts and uses C:\salt\conf when that path exists before installation without first verifying the configuration owner's trustworthiness. Exploitation requires local ability to place the file before installation; the resulting minion follows attacker-controlled configuration, while further consequences are undisclosed.

CVSS severity6.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in Salt before 3003.3 allows local users to subvert a Windows minion through a planted installer configuration. The minion installer accepts and uses C:\salt\conf when that path exists before installation without first verifying the configuration owner's trustworthiness. Exploitation requires local ability to place the file before installation; the resulting minion follows attacker-controlled configuration, while further consequences are undisclosed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22004
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Salt Project
Product
Salt
Classifications
CWE-287
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 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=Saltstack Salt (before 3003.3)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Salt Project · Saltversion=Saltstack Salt (before 3003.3)

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
6.4NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/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.

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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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication

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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