CVE-2021-3485Public exploit

Root code execution via unverified update download

Published May 24, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Improper update validation in Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools for Linux before 6.2.21.155 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to run code. The product-update bash script's DownloadFile function retrieves update content through an insecure channel, disables certificate checking in wget, and executes the downloaded script through a root-running command wrapper. Exploitation requires control of the update traffic and grants root code execution on the endpoint.

CVSS severity6.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper update validation in Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools for Linux before 6.2.21.155 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to run code. The product-update bash script's DownloadFile function retrieves update content through an insecure channel, disables certificate checking in wget, and executes the downloaded script through a root-running command wrapper. Exploitation requires control of the update traffic and grants root code execution on the endpoint.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3485
Published
May 24, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Bitdefender
Product
Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools for Linux
Classifications
CWE-494, T1557
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=unspecified <6.2.21.155

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Bitdefender · Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools for Linuxversion=unspecified <6.2.21.155

Published CVSS scores

6.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
6.4BitdefenderCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-494Download of Code Without Integrity Check
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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