CVE-2021-23895

Administrator reverse shell via crafted Java object

Published Jun 2, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Deserialization in McAfee Database Security before 4.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to obtain an administrator reverse shell. The DBSec server deserializes a carefully constructed Java object received from an authenticated remote client, allowing attacker-controlled object behavior to create the shell. Valid DBSec credentials and adjacent-network access are required; successful exploitation executes commands with administrator privileges on the server.

CVSS severity9.0
Critical
EPSS probability1.87%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Deserialization in McAfee Database Security before 4.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to obtain an administrator reverse shell. The DBSec server deserializes a carefully constructed Java object received from an authenticated remote client, allowing attacker-controlled object behavior to create the shell. Valid DBSec credentials and adjacent-network access are required; successful exploitation executes commands with administrator privileges on the server.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-23895
Published
Jun 2, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
McAfee
Product
McAfee Database Security
Classifications
CWE-502, CAPEC-586, T1059
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 2, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <4.8.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

McAfee · McAfee Database Securityversion=unspecified <4.8.2

Published CVSS scores

9.0TrellixCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.0NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:A/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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-502Deserialization of Untrusted Data
CAPEC-586Object Injection
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo