CVE-2021-38632

Encrypted-drive access via undisclosed physical bypass

Published Sep 15, 2021 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

BitLocker bypass in affected Windows releases allows physically proximate attackers to access encrypted system-drive data. Microsoft identifies the locus only as BitLocker Device Encryption on the system storage device and has not disclosed the faulty operation. Exploitation requires physical access to a powered-off system; the bounded consequence is unauthorized access to encrypted data.

CVSS severity5.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.82%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

BitLocker bypass in affected Windows releases allows physically proximate attackers to access encrypted system-drive data. Microsoft identifies the locus only as BitLocker Device Encryption on the system storage device and has not disclosed the faulty operation. Exploitation requires physical access to a powered-off system; the bounded consequence is unauthorized access to encrypted data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38632
Published
Sep 15, 2021
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows Server 2019
Classifications
T1006
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 10, 2026Record 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=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2183

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows Server 2019version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2183
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 21H1version=10.0.0 <10.0.19043.1237
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=10.0.0 <10.0.18363.1801
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.4651
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19041.1237
Microsoft · Windows Server 2016version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.4651
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1237
Microsoft · Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2183
Microsoft · Windows Server version 20H2version=10.0.0 <10.0.19042.1237
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1607version=10.0.14393.0 <10.0.14393.4651
Microsoft · Windows Server 2022version=10.0.20348.0 <10.0.20348.230
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 2004version=10.0.0 <10.0.19041.1237
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1809version=10.0.0 <10.0.17763.2183; version=10.0.17763.0 <10.0.17763.2183

Published CVSS scores

5.7MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
4.6NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

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

T1006Direct Volume Access

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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