Pre-authentication backend access via path confusion
Published Jul 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
SSRF in Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 CU23, 2016 CU19 through CU20, and 2019 CU8 through CU9 allows remote attackers to access backend URLs. EwsAutodiscoverProxyRequestHandler accepts a crafted Email query value, and RemoveExplicitLogonFromUrlAbsoluteUri removes attacker-chosen text with Substring during URL normalization. No credentials or user interaction are required; code execution requires chaining the resulting machine-account backend access with the other ProxyShell flaws.
Summary
What happened
SSRF in Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 CU23, 2016 CU19 through CU20, and 2019 CU8 through CU9 allows remote attackers to access backend URLs. EwsAutodiscoverProxyRequestHandler accepts a crafted Email query value, and RemoveExplicitLogonFromUrlAbsoluteUri removes attacker-chosen text with Substring during URL normalization. No credentials or user interaction are required; code execution requires chaining the resulting machine-account backend access with the other ProxyShell flaws.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-34473
- Published
- Jul 14, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 23
- Classifications
- CWE-918, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=15.00.0 <15.00.1497.015
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
View daily counts
| Reporting day | Unique IPs |
|---|---|
| Sep 10, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 13, 2026 | Unavailable |
| Sep 14, 2026 | 3 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 3 |
| Sep 16, 2026 | 2 |
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Rapid7 Metasploit Exchange ProxyShell RCE modulefunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- Mandiant ProxyShell intrusion investigationsreported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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