CVE-2021-4007

SYSTEM privilege escalation via writable DLL search path

Published Dec 14, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Local privilege escalation in Rapid7 Insight Agent 3.0.1 through 3.1.2.34 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. At startup, its Python interpreter searches C:\DLLs for python3.dll and loads the library from that normally user-writable directory without constraining the search path. A locally authenticated user who can place a malicious DLL at that location gains SYSTEM execution when the agent starts.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.32%
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 Rapid7 Insight Agent 3.0.1 through 3.1.2.34 allows local users to execute code as SYSTEM. At startup, its Python interpreter searches C:\DLLs for python3.dll and loads the library from that normally user-writable directory without constraining the search path. A locally authenticated user who can place a malicious DLL at that location gains SYSTEM execution when the agent starts.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-4007
Published
Dec 14, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Rapid7
Product
Insight Agent
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=3.0.1 <3.0.1*
  2. Affected versionversion=3.1.2.34 <=3.1.2.34

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Rapid7 · Insight Agentversion=3.0.1 <3.0.1*; version=3.1.2.34 <=3.1.2.34

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV: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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
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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