CVE-2021-44023

System denial of service via symlink overwrite

Published Dec 16, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Link-following denial of service in Trend Micro Security (Consumer) 2021 (v17) and earlier allows local users to interrupt Windows. The Platinum Host Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when PC Health Checkup writes a file, redirecting the write to another file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the Windows host, and the resulting overwrite can make the system unavailable.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.41%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link-following denial of service in Trend Micro Security (Consumer) 2021 (v17) and earlier allows local users to interrupt Windows. The Platinum Host Service follows an attacker-created symbolic link when PC Health Checkup writes a file, redirecting the write to another file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the Windows host, and the resulting overwrite can make the system unavailable.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-44023
Published
Dec 16, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Security (Consumer)
Classifications
CWE-59
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2021 (v17)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Security (Consumer)version=2021 (v17)

Published CVSS scores

7.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
3.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

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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