CVE-2021-47880Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unquoted service path

Published Jan 21, 2026 · Updated Jan 21, 2026

Unquoted service path in Realtek Wireless LAN Utility 700.1631 allows local users to execute code with elevated privileges. The auto-start Realtek11nSU service runs as LocalSystem but registers C:\Program Files (x86)\Realtek\Wireless LAN Utility\RtlService.exe without quotes. A local user must be able to place a malicious executable in a searched parent path; Windows can run it at application startup or reboot.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted service path in Realtek Wireless LAN Utility 700.1631 allows local users to execute code with elevated privileges. The auto-start Realtek11nSU service runs as LocalSystem but registers C:\Program Files (x86)\Realtek\Wireless LAN Utility\RtlService.exe without quotes. A local user must be able to place a malicious executable in a searched parent path; Windows can run it at application startup or reboot.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-47880
Published
Jan 21, 2026
Updated
Jan 21, 2026
Vendor
Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Product
Realtek Wireless LAN Utility
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 21, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 21, 2026Record 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=700.1631

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Realtek Semiconductor Corp. · Realtek Wireless LAN Utilityversion=700.1631

Published CVSS scores

7.8VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.5VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

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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