CVE-2021-29221: High severity erlang/otp vulnerability

Published Apr 9, 2021
·
Updated

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was discovered in Erlang/OTP prior to version 23.2.3. By adding files to an existing installation's directory, a local attacker could hijack accounts of other users running Erlang programs or possibly coerce a service running with "erlsrv.exe" to execute arbitrary code as Local System. This can occur only under specific conditions on Windows with unsafe filesystem permissions.

Affected Software

2 affected components
Erlang Erlang\/otp<23.2.3
Microsoft Windows

Event History

Apr 9, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·01:34 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·01:34 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-29221?

CVE-2021-29221 is rated as a high severity local privilege escalation vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2021-29221?

To fix CVE-2021-29221, upgrade Erlang/OTP to version 23.2.3 or later.

3

Who is affected by CVE-2021-29221?

CVE-2021-29221 affects all users running Erlang/OTP prior to version 23.2.3.

4

What can a local attacker do with CVE-2021-29221?

A local attacker can hijack accounts of other users running Erlang programs or manipulate services using 'erlsrv.exe'.

5

Is CVE-2021-29221 present in default installations of Erlang/OTP?

Yes, CVE-2021-29221 can be present in default installations of Erlang/OTP versions prior to 23.2.3.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203