CVE-2021-36315

Physically proximate privilege escalation

Published Nov 12, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Hardware design flaw in Dell PowerScale Nodes allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges through the node boot path. Dell has not disclosed the defective hardware element or the precise boot operation that permits the privilege boundary to be bypassed. Exploitation requires physical access to a node and can grant elevated control; Compliance Mode does not prevent the condition.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hardware design flaw in Dell PowerScale Nodes allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges through the node boot path. Dell has not disclosed the defective hardware element or the precise boot operation that permits the privilege boundary to be bypassed. Exploitation requires physical access to a node and can grant elevated control; Compliance Mode does not prevent the condition.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-36315
Published
Nov 12, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Dell
Product
Dell PowerScale Nodes
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 12, 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

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=A100, S210, X410, H400, X210, NL410, A200, A2000, H400, H500, H600, H5600, F800, F810,F200, F600, A300, A3000, H700, H7000

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Dell · Dell PowerScale Nodesversion=A100, S210, X410, H400, X210, NL410, A200, A2000, H400, H500, H600, H5600, F800, F810,F200, F600, A300, A3000, H700, H7000

Published CVSS scores

6.8DellCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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