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Microsoft · Exchange

CVE-2021-42321

Microsoft Exchange Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CISA KEV record

CISA date added
2021-11-17
CISA due date
2021-12-01
Known ransomware use
Known

NVD risk context

8.8 HIGH

CVSS is a technical severity score. CISA’s KEV status remains the evidence that this vulnerability is known to be exploited.

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Attack vector
Network
The vulnerable service can be reached remotely over a network.
Attack complexity
Low
Exploitation does not require unusual conditions beyond normal attacker control.
Privileges required
Low
The attacker needs limited privileges before exploiting the issue.
User interaction
None
No action by another user is required.

Description

An authenticated attacker could leverage improper validation in cmdlet arguments within Microsoft Exchange and perform remote code execution.

Required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

NVD reference index

Vendor and remediation references

NVD has tagged these sources as vendor advisories, patches, mitigations, or release notes.

Other NVD references (3)

MITRE CWE context

CWE classification

CWE-184 Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs

The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete.

View official MITRE CWE details ↗
CWE-502 Deserialization of Untrusted Data

The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.

View official MITRE CWE details ↗

NVD record timing

NVD record timeline

These dates describe NVD’s record, not CISA’s KEV addition or remediation due date.

NVD published
Nov 10, 2021, 01:19 AM UTC
When NVD first published this CVE record.
NVD last updated
Jun 17, 2026, 04:09 AM UTC
When NVD last changed its analysis or record data.
Advanced: view the technical CVSS vector

This standardized code is intended for security tools and technical analysts. The plain-language risk summary above explains its main points.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

View NVD record ↗

CISA notes

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42321