Cross-user data redirection via folder junction
Published Mar 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Folder Redirection in Microsoft Windows allows local users to redirect another user's personal data through a folder junction. A low-privilege user creates a target folder beneath the redirection root and places a junction where a new user's folder will be created, causing logon-time redirection to copy that user's files into the attacker-controlled location. Exploitation requires Group Policy Folder Redirection and a file server co-located with the Terminal Server.
Summary
What happened
Folder Redirection in Microsoft Windows allows local users to redirect another user's personal data through a folder junction. A low-privilege user creates a target folder beneath the redirection root and places a junction where a new user's folder will be created, causing logon-time redirection to copy that user's files into the attacker-controlled location. Exploitation requires Group Policy Folder Redirection and a file server co-located with the Terminal Server.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-26887
- Published
- Mar 11, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1005
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 19, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
- Group Policy Folder Redirection demonstrationproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
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