CVE-2021-40683

Administrator code execution via unquoted service path

Published Oct 4, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege escalation in Akamai EAA Client before 2.3.1, 2.4.0, and 2.5.0 through 2.5.2 allows local users to execute code as an administrator. The wapptunneld service stores its executable ImagePath without quotes, causing Windows to check C:\Program.exe before the intended binary. Exploitation requires write access to C:\ and a service start or restart; default Windows permissions reserve that write access for administrators.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Akamai EAA Client before 2.3.1, 2.4.0, and 2.5.0 through 2.5.2 allows local users to execute code as an administrator. The wapptunneld service stores its executable ImagePath without quotes, causing Windows to check C:\Program.exe before the intended binary. Exploitation requires write access to C:\ and a service start or restart; default Windows permissions reserve that write access for administrators.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-40683
Published
Oct 4, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 4, 2021CVE 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?

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

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.

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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-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
T1574.009Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted Path

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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