CVE-2021-46873
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an...
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
CVE-2021-46873- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-362
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
CVE-2021-46873- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-362
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-33526
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
EUVD-2021-33526- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mv36-8276-2729
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an...
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
GHSA-mv36-8276-2729- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-362
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
CVE-2021-46873- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-46873
WireGuard, such as WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows, does not fully account for the possibility that an adversary might be able to set a victim's system time to a future value, e.g., because unauthenticated NTP is used. This can lead to an outcome in which one static private key becomes permanently useless.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-46873- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
wireguardUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20200513-1~16.04.11.0.20200513-1~16.04.2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20200513-1~18.04.11.0.20200513-1~18.04.2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.0.20190913-1ubuntu10.0.20191212-1ubuntu10.0.20191219-1ubuntu11.0.20200102-1ubuntu11.0.20200121-1ubuntu1 Show 6 moreShow less1.0.20200121-2ubuntu11.0.20200206-1ubuntu11.0.20200206-2ubuntu11.0.20200319-1ubuntu11.0.20200513-1~20.04.11.0.20200513-1~20.04.2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20210424-1ubuntu11.0.20210914-1ubuntu11.0.20210914-1ubuntu2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20210914-1ubuntu31.0.20210914-1ubuntu4 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20210914-1.1ubuntu21.0.20210914-3ubuntu11.0.20210914-3ubuntu2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20250521-1ubuntu11.0.20260223-1ubuntu11.0.20260223-1ubuntu2 |
None known |
wireguardUbuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.0.20210914-3ubuntu21.0.20250521-1ubuntu1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-46873 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Wireguard, published January 29, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.47%, the 40th percentile. No source names a fixed version.