CVE-2021-36286

Arbitrary file deletion via junction traversal

Published Sep 28, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Arbitrary file deletion in Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs 3.9.13.0 and earlier allows local users to delete administrator-only files. The Clean Files functionality treats an attacker-created NTFS junction as a physical folder and deletes files at the junction target. A nonprivileged Windows user must combine a symbolic link with a junction point; deletion can corrupt protected files or interrupt the system.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Arbitrary file deletion in Dell SupportAssist for Home PCs 3.9.13.0 and earlier allows local users to delete administrator-only files. The Clean Files functionality treats an attacker-created NTFS junction as a physical folder and deletes files at the junction target. A nonprivileged Windows user must combine a symbolic link with a junction point; deletion can corrupt protected files or interrupt the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36286
Published
Sep 28, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Dell
Product
SupportAssist for Home PCs
Classifications
CWE-22, CWE-59, T1070.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 28, 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

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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=unspecified <=3.9.13.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell · SupportAssist for Home PCsversion=unspecified <=3.9.13.0

Published CVSS scores

7.1DellCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
3.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1070.004File Deletion

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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