CVE-2021-22117

Local code execution via writable plugin directory

Published May 18, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Code injection in RabbitMQ Windows installers before 3.8.16 allows local users to execute arbitrary code through a planted plugin. The installer leaves the plugin directory with permissions that allow non-administrative local users to add archives that the broker can load. Exploitation requires local filesystem write access and yields code execution in the RabbitMQ service context.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.61%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in RabbitMQ Windows installers before 3.8.16 allows local users to execute arbitrary code through a planted plugin. The installer leaves the plugin directory with permissions that allow non-administrative local users to add archives that the broker can load. Exploitation requires local filesystem write access and yields code execution in the RabbitMQ service context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22117
Published
May 18, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
RabbitMQ
Classifications
CWE-732, CWE-94, T1129
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 18, 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=RabbitMQ Windows installers prior to version 3.8.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · RabbitMQversion=RabbitMQ Windows installers prior to version 3.8.16

Published CVSS scores

7.8Canonical UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code
T1129Shared Modules

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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