CVE-2021-3633

Local privilege escalation via DLL preloading

Published Aug 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper DLL loading in Lenovo Driver Management before 2.9.0719.1104 allows local users to gain elevated privileges. The application searches attacker-controlled locations for a required DLL and loads the substitute during driver-management operations. An attacker needs local low-privilege access and user interaction; successful loading can execute code with higher privileges and affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.3
High
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

Improper DLL loading in Lenovo Driver Management before 2.9.0719.1104 allows local users to gain elevated privileges. The application searches attacker-controlled locations for a required DLL and loads the substitute during driver-management operations. An attacker needs local low-privilege access and user interaction; successful loading can execute code with higher privileges and affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-3633
Published
Aug 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-427, CWE-347, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 17, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3Lenovo Group Ltd.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CWE-347Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
T1574.001DLL Search Order Hijacking

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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