# CVE-2021-38416: Delta Electronics DIALink

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges via DLL hijacking in Delta Electronics DIALink due to insecure library loading.

- **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:** 3 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qcg3-vxvh-47mj

## What is CVE-2021-38416?

CVE-2021-38416 is a high-severity vulnerability in Delta Electronics DIALink, published on 3 Nov 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Delta Electronics DIALink versions 1.2.4.0 and prior insecurely loads libraries, which may allow an attacker to use DLL hijacking and takeover the system where the software is installed.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-38416?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Deltaww Dialink.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-38416?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-38416 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-38416 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-38416 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Delta Electronics DIALink

- [CVE-2025-58321](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-58321/): DIALink - Directory Traversal Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-2660](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2660/): Hardcoded credentials in Industrial Automation DIALink (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-38418](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38418/): Delta Electronics DIALink (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-2969](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2969/): ICSA-22-307-03 Delta Industrial Automation DIALink Path traversal (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2021-38420](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38420/): Delta Electronics DIALink (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-38416 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-38416 is a high-severity vulnerability in Delta Electronics DIALink, published on 3 Nov 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-2021-38416 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Delta Electronics DIALink. 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-2021-38416/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38416/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38416
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38416
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38416

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38416/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.