Is CVE-2021-31854 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-31854 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-31854 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2021-31854 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-31854?

CVE-2021-31854 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-31854

HIGH

CVE-2021-31854

CWE-78Published: January 19, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A command Injection Vulnerability in McAfee Agent (MA) for Windows prior to 5.7.5 allows local users to inject arbitrary shell code into the file cleanup.exe. The malicious clean.exe file is placed into the relevant folder and executed by running the McAfee Agent deployment feature located in the System Tree. An attacker may exploit the vulnerability to obtain a reverse shell which can lead to privilege escalation to obtain root privileges.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-31854 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.