Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-21538

Critical

Published: 29 July 2021

Published
29 July 2021
Modified
21 November 2024
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 9.6 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L
EPSS Score 0.0155 81.8th percentile
Risk Priority 20 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2021-21538 is a critical-severity Improper Authentication (CWE-287) vulnerability in Dell Idrac9 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 9.6 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 18.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Dell EMC iDRAC9 versions 4.40.00.00 and later, but prior to 4.40.10.00, contain an improper authentication vulnerability. A remote unauthenticated attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to gain access to the virtual console.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

dell
idrac9 firmware
4.40.00.00 — 4.40.10.00

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-287

Detects unauthorized successful logons resulting from improper authentication implementations.

addresses: CWE-287

Documented procedures ensure personnel are trained on authentication mechanisms, tangibly lowering the risk of improper authentication being exploited.

addresses: CWE-287

Security awareness training instructs users on secure authentication practices and avoiding credential compromise.

addresses: CWE-287

Training on authentication mechanisms and best practices decreases the occurrence of improper authentication.

addresses: CWE-287

Non-repudiation requires strong authentication mechanisms to irrefutably attribute performed actions to specific individuals or processes.

addresses: CWE-287

Session content review can reveal authentication bypasses or failures in session establishment.

addresses: CWE-287

Review of authentication-related audit records can detect improper authentication mechanisms or bypasses.

addresses: CWE-287

Assessments check authentication mechanisms for correct implementation and effectiveness, reducing successful authentication bypass attempts.

References