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CVE-2021-27878

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client...

8.8 HighIn KEVPublic exploit

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

24.0%Up 23.5 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.8

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Record
CVE-2021-27878
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:U/UI:N
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-14616 8.8

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Record
EUVD-2021-14616
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:U/UI:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-6r93-82vq-9w4w 8.8

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client...

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Record
GHSA-6r93-82vq-9w4w
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-287
Updated
2026-11-02
CISA KEV No score

Veritas Backup Exec Agent Command Execution Vulnerability

Veritas Backup Exec (BE) Agent contains a command execution vulnerability that could allow an attacker to use a data management protocol command to execute a command on the BE Agent machine.

Record
CVE-2021-27878
Weakness
CWE-287
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 8.8

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Record
CVE-2021-27878
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
9.0 HighAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
MetasploitVeritas Backup Exec Agent Remote Code Execution2021-03-01

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
exploitation
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD

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

In short

CVE-2021-27878 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Veritas Backup Exec, published March 1, 2021. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since April 7, 2023. EUVD reports exploitation since April 7, 2023. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 24.0%, the 97th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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