CVE-2021-28482Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated code execution via MeetingPollHandler deserialization

Published Apr 13, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Insecure deserialization in Microsoft Exchange Server allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code through OWA. MeetingPollHandler.ashx processes an attacker-controlled MeetingPollProposeOptionsRequestsBlob value as serialized .NET object data, permitting an ObjectDataProvider gadget to invoke Process.Start. Valid Exchange credentials and network access to OWA and EWS are required; successful exploitation runs commands in the Exchange server's security context.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability83.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insecure deserialization in Microsoft Exchange Server allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code through OWA. MeetingPollHandler.ashx processes an attacker-controlled MeetingPollProposeOptionsRequestsBlob value as serialized .NET object data, permitting an ObjectDataProvider gadget to invoke Process.Start. Valid Exchange credentials and network access to OWA and EWS are required; successful exploitation runs commands in the Exchange server's security context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-28482
Published
Apr 13, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23
Classifications
T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 13, 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=15.00.0 <15.00.1497.015

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23version=15.00.0 <15.00.1497.015
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 19version=15.01.0 <15.01.2176.012
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 8version=15.02.0 <15.02.0792.013
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 9version=15.02.0 <15.02.0858.010
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 20version=15.01.0 <15.01.2242.008

Published CVSS scores

9.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8Microsoft CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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