CVE-2021-36281Network attack vector

Authenticated privilege escalation via colliding LDAP user IDs

Published Aug 16, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Incorrect permission assignment in Dell PowerScale OneFS 8.2.x through 9.2.x allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. OneFS resolves permissions incorrectly when multiple LDAP records share a UID or an LDAP user can set that account's own UID. Exploitation requires a low-privileged account and network access, and successful exploitation grants higher privileges within the affected cluster.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.69%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect permission assignment in Dell PowerScale OneFS 8.2.x through 9.2.x allows remote authenticated users to escalate privileges. OneFS resolves permissions incorrectly when multiple LDAP records share a UID or an LDAP user can set that account's own UID. Exploitation requires a low-privileged account and network access, and successful exploitation grants higher privileges within the affected cluster.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36281
Published
Aug 16, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Dell Technologies
Product
PowerScale OneFS
Classifications
CWE-732, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 16, 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

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=8.2.x - 9.2.x

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell Technologies · PowerScale OneFSversion=8.2.x - 9.2.x

Published CVSS scores

7.5DellCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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