CVE-2021-3042

SYSTEM privilege escalation via drive-root search path

Published Jul 15, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Uncontrolled search path handling in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent 6.1, 7.2, and 7.3 allows local users to execute programs as SYSTEM. An undisclosed agent component searches a path containing the Windows drive root and executes a user-created file found there; the exact file name is not public. Exploitation requires an authenticated local Windows user with drive-root file-creation rights, and only agents without content update 181 are affected.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.25%
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

Uncontrolled search path handling in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Agent 6.1, 7.2, and 7.3 allows local users to execute programs as SYSTEM. An undisclosed agent component searches a path containing the Windows drive root and executes a user-created file found there; the exact file name is not public. Exploitation requires an authenticated local Windows user with drive-root file-creation rights, and only agents without content update 181 are affected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3042
Published
Jul 15, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
Cortex XDR Agent
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=6.1.* without content update 181 or later
  2. Affected versionversion=7.2.* without content update 181 or later
  3. Affected versionversion=7.3.* without content update 181 or later

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · Cortex XDR Agentversion=6.1.* without content update 181 or later; version=7.2.* without content update 181 or later; version=7.3.* without content update 181 or later

Published CVSS scores

7.8Palo Alto NetworksCVSS: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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574Hijack Execution Flow

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