Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-42321

Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 … 2019

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCRansomware-linked
Published
10 November 2021
Modified
30 October 2025
KEV Added
17 November 2021
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.90 99.8th percentile
Risk Priority 90 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-42321 is a high-severity an unspecified weakness vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2021-42321 is a remote code execution vulnerability affecting Microsoft Exchange Server. It carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

An authenticated attacker can exploit the flaw over the network to achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected server. The vulnerability is tracked under NVD-CWE-Other and was publicly disclosed on 10 November 2021.

Microsoft publishes mitigation guidance in its security advisory at https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-42321. Public exploit code targeting the issue, including chained serialization binder techniques, has been posted to PacketStorm Security.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s)
KEV Date Added
17 November 2021

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2021-26855Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2022-41040Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2021-26858Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2022-41080Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2020-17144Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2018-8581Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2020-0688Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2021-31196Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2021-27065Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV
CVE-2021-26857Same product: Microsoft Exchange Serverboth on KEV

Affected Assets

microsoft
exchange server
2016, 2019

Mitigating Controls

No mitigating controls mapped yet. The per-CVE control annotator has not reached this CVE.

References