CVE-2021-37942

Local privilege escalation via malicious plugin attachment

Published Nov 22, 2023 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Elastic APM Java Agent 1.18.0 through 1.27.0 allows local users to execute code via a malicious plugin. The external-plugin attachment path loads attacker-supplied instrumentation into a target JVM without maintaining the local user's privilege boundary. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and an attachment-based installation; -javaagent-based installations are unaffected.

CVSS severity7.0
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

Local privilege escalation in Elastic APM Java Agent 1.18.0 through 1.27.0 allows local users to execute code via a malicious plugin. The external-plugin attachment path loads attacker-supplied instrumentation into a target JVM without maintaining the local user's privilege boundary. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and an attachment-based installation; -javaagent-based installations are unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-37942
Published
Nov 22, 2023
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Elastic
Product
Elastic APM Java Agent
Classifications
CWE-269, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=1.18.0 <1.27.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Elastic · Elastic APM Java Agentversion=1.18.0 <1.27.0

Published CVSS scores

7.0ElasticCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
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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