CVE-2021-38649Known exploitation

Root privilege escalation by local users

Published Sep 15, 2021 · Updated Aug 10, 2026

Local privilege escalation in Microsoft OMI before 1.6.8-1 allows local users to obtain root privileges through an unspecified flaw. Microsoft has not published the affected code path or the incorrect operation performed on attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege access and high-complexity conditions, after which root access permits complete control of the host.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability2.89%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Microsoft OMI before 1.6.8-1 allows local users to obtain root privileges through an unspecified flaw. Microsoft has not published the affected code path or the incorrect operation performed on attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires existing low-privilege access and high-complexity conditions, after which root access permits complete control of the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-38649
Published
Sep 15, 2021
Updated
Aug 10, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Sentinel
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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

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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=1.0.0 <OMS Agent for Linux GA v1.13.40-0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Sentinelversion=1.0.0 <OMS Agent for Linux GA v1.13.40-0
Microsoft · Azure Automation Update Managementversion=1.0.0 <OMS Agent for Linux GA v1.13.40-0
Microsoft · Log Analytics Agentversion=1.0.0 <OMS Agent for Linux GA v1.13.40-0
Microsoft · Container Monitoring Solutionversion=1.0.0 <publication
Microsoft · Azure Stack Hubversion=1.0.0 <Monitor, Update and Config Mgmnt 1.14.01
Microsoft · Microsoft Defender for Cloudversion=1.0.0 <OMS Agent for Linux GA v1.13.40-0
Microsoft · Azure Diagnostics Linux Extensionversion=3.0.0 <LAD v4.0.13 and LAD v3.0.135
Microsoft · Microsoft System Center Operations Managerversion=1.0.0 <OMI version: 1.6.8-1
Microsoft · Microsoft Open Management Infrastructureversion=16.0 <OMI Version 1.6.8-1
Microsoft · Azure Automation State Configuration DSC Extensionversion=2.0.0 <DSC Agent versions: 2.71.1.25, 2.70.0.30, 3.0.0.3

Published CVSS scores

7.0MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
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.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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