# CVE-2021-36277: Security feature bypass in Alienware Command Center (AWCC)

> A local attacker can bypass cryptographic signature verification to execute arbitrary code on systems using Dell Update utilities.

- **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:** 9 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c875-6f78-qr5q

## What is CVE-2021-36277?

CVE-2021-36277 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC), published on 9 Aug 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Dell Command | Update, Dell Update, and Alienware Update versions before 4.3 contains an Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature Vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user may exploit this vulnerability by executing arbitrary code on the system.

Weakness: CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-36277?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Dell Alienware Command Center Application, Dell Command \| Update, Dell Update\/Alienware Update.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-36277?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-36277 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-36277 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-36277 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-36277 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-36277 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC), published on 9 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-2021-36277 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dell Alienware Command Center (AWCC). 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-2021-36277/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36277/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-36277
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-36277
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-36277

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36277/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.