CVE-2021-22038
Published: 29 October 2021
Summary
CVE-2021-22038 is a high-severity Use of Insufficiently Random Values (CWE-330) vulnerability in Vmware Installbuilder. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 28.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2021-9207
Vulnerability details
On Windows, the uninstaller binary copies itself to a fixed temporary location, which is then executed (the originally called uninstaller exits, so it does not block the installation directory). This temporary location is not randomized and does not restrict access…
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to Administrators only so a potential attacker could plant a binary to replace the copied binary right before it gets called, thus gaining Administrator privileges (if the original uninstaller was executed as Administrator). The vulnerability only affects Windows installers.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
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.
Key generation under controlled management uses approved random-bit sources rather than insufficiently random values.