# CVE-2021-4480: Dräger Protector Software Local Privilege Escalation via Insecure File Permissions

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by replacing binaries or modules due to insecure file permissions in Dräger Protector Software.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:H/SA:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 3 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w85v-g7rp-mcgm

## What is CVE-2021-4480?

CVE-2021-4480 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dräger Protector Software, published on 2 Jun 2026. 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

Dräger Protector Software prior to version 6.4.2 contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability due to insecure file system permissions that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. Attackers can replace binaries or loaded modules on the host system to execute code with NT SYSTEM privileges.

Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-4480?


## How do I fix CVE-2021-4480?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-4480 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-4480 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-4480 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-4480 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-4480 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dräger Protector Software, published on 2 Jun 2026. 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-2021-4480 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dräger Protector Software. 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-2021-4480/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4480/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-4480
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-4480
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-4480

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-4480/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.