CVE-2021-21551

Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead...

8.8 HighIn KEVPublic exploit

Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead to escalation of privileges, denial of service, or information disclosure. Local authenticated user access is required.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

79.6%Up 79.4 points since May 5, 2021

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.8

Record: CVE-2021-21551
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-782
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2021-8823 8.8

Record: EUVD-2021-8823
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-pp2j-9hqv-7x55 7.8

Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead...

Record: GHSA-pp2j-9hqv-7x55
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-782, CWE-863
Updated: 2026-11-02

CISA KEV No score

Dell dbutil Driver Insufficient Access Control Vulnerability

Dell dbutil driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead to escalation of privileges, denial-of-service (DoS), or information disclosure.

Record: CVE-2021-21551
Weakness: CWE-782
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 8.8

Record: CVE-2021-21551
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 3.1: 7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0: 4.6 MediumAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness: CWE-782
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
Metasploit	Dell DBUtil_2_3.sys IOCTL memmove	2021-05-04
PoC in GitHub	waldo-irc/CVE-2021-21551	2021-05-13
Exploit-DB	DELL dbutil_2_3.sys 2.3 - Arbitrary Write to Local Privilege Escalation (LPE)	2021-05-21
PoC in GitHub	ch3rn0byl/CVE-2021-21551	2021-05-21
PoC in GitHub	arnaudluti/PS-CVE-2021-21551	2021-05-28
PoC in GitHub	mathisvickie/CVE-2021-21551	2021-05-30
PoC in GitHub	mzakocs/CVE-2021-21551-POC	2021-06-02
PoC in GitHub	ihack4falafel/Dell-Driver-EoP-CVE-2021-21551	2021-09-03
PoC in GitHub	tijme/kernel-mii	2022-06-25
PoC in GitHub	nanabingies/CVE-2021-21551	2023-01-07

Show 5 moreShow less

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
PoC in GitHub	Eap2468/CVE-2021-21551	2024-08-02
PoC in GitHub	IlanDudnik/CVE-2021-21551	2025-01-11
PoC in GitHub	luke0x90/CVE-2021-21551	2025-02-13
PoC in GitHub	bengabay1994/cve-2021-21551-PoC	2025-12-02
Metasploit	Dell DBUtilDrv2.sys Memory Protection Modifier

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 3, 2026	exploitation, exploits
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, Exploit-DB, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-21551 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Dell Dbutil, published May 4, 2021. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since March 31, 2022. EUVD reports exploitation since March 31, 2022. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 79.6%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.