# CVE-2021-22521: Privilege escalation in ZENworks Configuration Management

> Attackers can exploit this vulnerability in Micro Focus ZENworks Configuration Management to gain unauthorized system privileges.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7r86-h946-g8h2

## What is CVE-2021-22521?

CVE-2021-22521 is a medium-severity vulnerability in ZENworks Configuration Management, published on 30 Jul 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A privileged escalation vulnerability has been identified in Micro Focus ZENworks Configuration Management, affecting version 2020 Update 1 and all prior versions. The vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized system privileges.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-22521?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microfocus Zenworks Configuration Management, Microfocus Zenworks Endpoint Security Management.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-22521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-22521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-22521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-22521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-22521 is a medium-severity vulnerability in ZENworks Configuration Management, published on 30 Jul 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ZENworks Configuration Management. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-22521

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.