CVE-2021-41988

SYSTEM privilege escalation via repair temporary files

Published Jan 26, 2023 · Updated Apr 1, 2025

Local privilege escalation in Qlik NPrinting Designer 21.14.3.0 and earlier allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The Windows Installer repair path performs file operations in the requesting user's %TEMP% directory and executes temporary files there as SYSTEM. Any authenticated local user can trigger the repair through the Windows Installer API or msiexec and gain complete control of the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.30%
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 Qlik NPrinting Designer 21.14.3.0 and earlier allows local users to gain SYSTEM privileges. The Windows Installer repair path performs file operations in the requesting user's %TEMP% directory and executes temporary files there as SYSTEM. Any authenticated local user can trigger the repair through the Windows Installer API or msiexec and gain complete control of the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-41988
Published
Jan 26, 2023
Updated
Apr 1, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-379, CWE-668, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 1, 2025Record 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

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS: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-379Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions
CWE-668Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
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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