CVE-2021-42277: Microsoft Windows Diagnostics Hub Link Following Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Nov 9, 2021
·
Updated

Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Other sources

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Microsoft Windows. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Microsoft Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector Service. By creating a symbolic link, an attacker can abuse the service to delete a directory. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM.

ZDI

Affected Software

52 affected componentsFixes available
Microsoft Windows Server=2004
Microsoft Windows Server=20H2
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 (includes 16.0 - 16.10)=16.11
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 (includes 16.0 – 16.6)=16.7
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 (includes 16.0 - 16.8)=16.9
Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 (includes 15.0 - 15.8)=15.9
Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Visual Studio 2015=3
Microsoft Windows Server 2019
Microsoft Windows Server 2019
Microsoft Windows 11=21H2
Microsoft Windows 11=21H2
Microsoft Windows Server 2022
Microsoft Windows Server 2022
Microsoft Windows 10=20H2
Microsoft Windows 10=20H2
Microsoft Windows 10=20H2
Microsoft Windows 10=1809
Microsoft Windows 10=1809
Microsoft Windows 10=1809
Microsoft Windows 10=1607
Microsoft Windows 10=1607
Microsoft Windows 10=21H1
Microsoft Windows 10=21H1
Microsoft Windows 10=21H1
Microsoft Windows 10=1909
Microsoft Windows 10=1909
Microsoft Windows 10=1909
Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Visual Studio=2015-update3
Microsoft Visual Studio 2017>=15.0<=15.9
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019>=16.0<=16.11
Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Windows 10=20h2
Microsoft Windows 10=21h1
Microsoft Windows 10=1607
Microsoft Windows 10=1809
Microsoft Windows 10=1909
Microsoft Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Windows 11
Microsoft Windows 11
Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=20h2
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=2004
Microsoft Windows Server 2019
Microsoft Windows Server 2022
Microsoft Windows

Event History

Nov 9, 2021
CVE Published
via Microsoft·08:00 AM
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·08:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Nov 10, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·12:47 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·12:47 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Apr 1, 2025
Advisory Published
via ZDI·05:16 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-42277?

CVE-2021-42277 has a CVSS score indicating a high severity level due to the potential for local privilege escalation.

2

What systems are affected by CVE-2021-42277?

CVE-2021-42277 affects various versions of Microsoft Windows and Visual Studio, including Windows 10, Windows Server 2019 and 2022, and Visual Studio 2019.

3

How do I fix CVE-2021-42277?

To address CVE-2021-42277, users should apply the latest security updates released by Microsoft for the affected products.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2021-42277?

CVE-2021-42277 is classified as an elevation of privilege vulnerability that allows local attackers to gain higher access rights.

5

Is CVE-2021-42277 being actively exploited?

There is no public indication that CVE-2021-42277 is being actively exploited, but it is recommended to patch systems to mitigate any potential risk.

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