# CVE-2021-32464: Privilege escalation in Trend Micro Apex One

> Attackers with low-privileged code execution can modify scripts to escalate privileges in Trend Micro Apex One and Worry-Free Business Security.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jxx7-6p68-38fv

## What is CVE-2021-32464?

CVE-2021-32464 is a high-severity vulnerability in Trendmicro Apex One, published on 4 Aug 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An incorrect permission assignment privilege escalation vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex One, Apex One as a Service and Worry-Free Business Security Services could allow an attacker to modify a specific script before it is executed. Please note: an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-32464?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Trendmicro Apex One, Trendmicro Officescan.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-32464?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-32464 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-32464 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-32464 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Trendmicro Apex One

- [CVE-2020-8599](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8599/): Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-54948](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54948/): Trend Micro Apex One OS Command Injection (critical 9.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-36741](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36741/): Trend Micro Multiple Products Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-8467](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8467/): Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-8468](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8468/): Trend Micro Multiple Products Content Validation Escape (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-32464 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-32464 is a high-severity vulnerability in Trendmicro Apex One, published on 4 Aug 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-2021-32464 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Trendmicro Apex One. 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-2021-32464/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32464/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-32464
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32464
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-32464

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32464/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.