CVE-2021-28098Public exploit

SYSTEM privilege escalation via symlinked log file

Published Apr 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Forescout CounterACT before 8.1.4 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through SecureConnector logging. SecureConnector runs with administrative privileges and follows an attacker-created symbolic link when writing to an Everyone-writable log location, creating a writable file in a privileged directory that can be replaced with a malicious DLL. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction; successful DLL hijacking executes the malicious library with SecureConnector's administrative privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.41%
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 Forescout CounterACT before 8.1.4 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM through SecureConnector logging. SecureConnector runs with administrative privileges and follows an attacker-created symbolic link when writing to an Everyone-writable log location, creating a writable file in a privileged directory that can be replaced with a malicious DLL. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction; successful DLL hijacking executes the malicious library with SecureConnector's administrative privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28098
Published
Apr 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-59, CWE-427, CWE-732, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 14, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.4NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL Search Order Hijacking

Public exploit references

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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