CVE-2021-41379
Microsoft Windows Installer Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Windows
Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 3 March 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 17 March 2022. CISA records this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 19.5%, which is higher than 97.3% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2021-41379 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2021-41379.
What does CVE-2021-41379 affect?
CVE-2021-41379 affects Microsoft Windows. Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
How severe is CVE-2021-41379?
CVE-2021-41379 is rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 19.5%, higher than 97.3% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 17 March 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2021-41379?
Apply the vendor patch for Microsoft Windows as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.