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CVE-2021-42278

Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services Privilege Escalation

7.5 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)Used in ransomwareEPSS 73.3%
  1. Published10 Nov 2021
  2. Added to CISA KEV11 Apr 2022
  3. Remediation due2 May 2022
Actively exploited (CISA KEV)

Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.

Added to KEV: 11 Apr 2022Federal remediation due: 2 May 2022Used in ransomware

Description

Active Directory Domain Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorNetwork
Attack complexityHigh
Privileges requiredLow
User interactionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Microsoft Windows Server 2004< 10.0.19041.1348
Microsoft Windows Server 2008r2
Microsoft Windows Server 2012r2
Microsoft Windows Server 2016< 10.0.14393.4770
Microsoft Windows Server 2019< 10.0.17763.2300
Microsoft Windows Server 2022< 10.0.20348.350
Microsoft Windows Server 20h2< 10.0.19042.1348

Remediation

Fixed in
Microsoft Windows Server 2004≥ 10.0.19041.1348
Microsoft Windows Server 2016≥ 10.0.14393.4770
Microsoft Windows Server 2019≥ 10.0.17763.2300
Microsoft Windows Server 2022≥ 10.0.20348.350
Microsoft Windows Server 20h2≥ 10.0.19042.1348

References

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2021-42278 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2021-42278 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 11 Apr 2022. It has been used in ransomware campaigns.

How severe is CVE-2021-42278?

CVE-2021-42278 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5, rated high. EPSS estimates a 73.3% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2021-42278?

Affected products include Microsoft Windows Server 2004, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, and 2 more.

How do I fix CVE-2021-42278?

Upgrade affected software to a fixed version, for example Microsoft Windows Server 2004 10.0.19041.1348, Microsoft Windows Server 2016 10.0.14393.4770, Microsoft Windows Server 2019 10.0.17763.2300 or later, then confirm no affected versions remain in your inventory.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2021-42278 against the real software inventory on every managed device, every day. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. Because it is on the CISA KEV list, Secuno flags any affected asset as top-priority automatically. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.