# CVE-2021-27765: HCL BigFix Platform Server API is affected by Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> A local attacker can escalate privileges via a vulnerable InstallShield component in the BigFix Server API installer.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 May 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p5fr-hfcw-6vff

## What is CVE-2021-27765?

CVE-2021-27765 is a medium-severity vulnerability in HCL Software BigFix Platform, published on 6 May 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The BigFix Server API installer is created with InstallShield, which was affected by CVE-2021-41526, a vulnerability that could allow a local user to perform a privilege escalation. This vulnerability was resolved by updating to an InstallShield version with the underlying vulnerability fixed.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-27765?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hcltech Bigfix Platform.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-27765?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-27765 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-27765 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-27765 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in HCL Software BigFix Platform

- [CVE-2026-21765](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21765/): HCL BigFix Platform is affected by insecure permissions on private cryptographic keys (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-37519](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37519/): HCL BigFix Platform is affected by Unathenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2023-37520](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-37520/): HCL BigFix Platform is affected by Unathenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2020-14254](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14254/): Weak cryptography in HCL BigFix Inventory (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-42453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42453/): HCL BigFix Platform is affected by insufficient warnings (medium 6.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-27765 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-27765 is a medium-severity vulnerability in HCL Software BigFix Platform, published on 6 May 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-27765 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: HCL Software BigFix Platform. 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-2021-27765/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27765/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-27765
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-27765
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-27765

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27765/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.