CVE-2021-43397Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Admin-to-Sysadmin escalation via exposed API keys

Published Nov 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege escalation in LiquidFiles before 3.6.3 allows remote authenticated users to gain Sysadmin control through the admin API. The /admin/users API returns System Administrator API keys to User Admins without restricting credential fields by caller role. User Admin or Admin access is required; a disclosed key can authenticate a group-changing request and grant control of all system functions.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability3.82%
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 LiquidFiles before 3.6.3 allows remote authenticated users to gain Sysadmin control through the admin API. The /admin/users API returns System Administrator API keys to User Admins without restricting credential fields by caller role. User Admin or Admin access is required; a disclosed key can authenticate a group-changing request and grant control of all system functions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-43397
Published
Nov 11, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-522, T1552, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 11, 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 vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.8Full Disclosure advisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
T1552Unsecured Credentials
T1098Account Manipulation

Public exploit references

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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