CVE-2021-45440

SYSTEM code execution via pipe-client impersonation

Published Jan 8, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Privilege management in Trend Micro Apex One 2019 and Worry-Free Business Security 10.0 SP1 allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. A privileged service permits an untrusted process to impersonate a pipe client; ZDI locates the flaw in the Worry-Free Business Security Server, while Trend Micro does not disclose the Apex One locus. Low-privileged code execution on an affected Windows host is required, after which arbitrary code runs as SYSTEM.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.46%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege management in Trend Micro Apex One 2019 and Worry-Free Business Security 10.0 SP1 allows local users to gain SYSTEM access. A privileged service permits an untrusted process to impersonate a pipe client; ZDI locates the flaw in the Worry-Free Business Security Server, while Trend Micro does not disclose the Apex One locus. Low-privileged code execution on an affected Windows host is required, after which arbitrary code runs as SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-45440
Published
Jan 8, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Trend Micro
Product
Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security
Classifications
CWE-269, T1134.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 8, 2022CVE 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=10.0 SP1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Trend Micro · Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Securityversion=10.0 SP1
Trend Micro · Trend Micro Apex Oneversion=2019

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Trend MicroCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1134.001Token Impersonation/Theft

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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