CVE-2021-22928

SYSTEM privilege escalation from Windows VDA access

Published Aug 5, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper access control in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2106 and earlier allows local users to escalate from a Windows VDA account to SYSTEM. Citrix has not published the affected function or the access-control operation that mishandles untrusted input. Exploitation requires authenticated access to a Windows VDA with Citrix Profile Management or its WMI Plugin installed and Windows Installer enabled.

CVSS severity7.8
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

Improper access control in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2106 and earlier allows local users to escalate from a Windows VDA account to SYSTEM. Citrix has not published the affected function or the access-control operation that mishandles untrusted input. Exploitation requires authenticated access to a Windows VDA with Citrix Profile Management or its WMI Plugin installed and Windows Installer enabled.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22928
Published
Aug 5, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Citrix
Product
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops
Classifications
CWE-284, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 5, 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=2106 HF1, 1912LTSR CU3 HF1, 7.15LTSR CU7 HF1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Citrix · Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktopsversion=2106 HF1, 1912LTSR CU3 HF1, 7.15LTSR CU7 HF1

Published CVSS scores

7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NVDCVSS: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-284Improper Access Control
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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