CVE-2021-22521

Local privilege escalation via undisclosed mechanism

Published Jul 30, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Micro Focus ZENworks Configuration Management 2020 Update 1 and earlier allows local users to gain system privileges. Micro Focus has not published the affected component or the operation that incorrectly grants additional privileges. Exploitation requires high local privileges, and the disclosed consequence is elevation to unauthorized system privileges.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Micro Focus ZENworks Configuration Management 2020 Update 1 and earlier allows local users to gain system privileges. Micro Focus has not published the affected component or the operation that incorrectly grants additional privileges. Exploitation requires high local privileges, and the disclosed consequence is elevation to unauthorized system privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22521
Published
Jul 30, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Micro Focus
Product
ZENworks Configuration Management
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 30, 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=2020 Update 1 and all prior versions

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Micro Focus · ZENworks Configuration Managementversion=2020 Update 1 and all prior versions

Published CVSS scores

7.2NISTAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.2Micro FocusCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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-863Incorrect Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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