CVE-2021-31798

Cache plaintext disclosure via low-entropy key derivation

Published Sep 2, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Insufficient entropy in CyberArk Credential Provider before 12.1 allows local users to read plaintext secrets from encrypted cache files. The cache encrypts each line with AES-CBC, but derives its 256-bit key from only the application type, a predictable provider username, and two hard-coded byte sequences. Root access to the host or equivalent offline access to its files is required; successful decryption exposes cached passwords, metadata, and application properties.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insufficient entropy in CyberArk Credential Provider before 12.1 allows local users to read plaintext secrets from encrypted cache files. The cache encrypts each line with AES-CBC, but derives its 256-bit key from only the application type, a predictable provider username, and two hard-coded byte sequences. Root access to the host or equivalent offline access to its files is required; successful decryption exposes cached passwords, metadata, and application properties.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-31798
Published
Sep 2, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-331, CWE-326, T1555
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 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

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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 privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

1.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
4.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-331Insufficient Entropy
CWE-326Inadequate Encryption Strength
T1555Credentials from Password Stores

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

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Your stack

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