MEDIUM
CVE-2021-40836
NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: December 22, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
A vulnerability affecting F-Secure antivirus engine was discovered whereby scanning MS outlook .pst files can lead to denial-of-service. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely by an attacker. A successful attack will result in denial-of-service of the antivirus engine.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-40836 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 availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-40836
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessNVD-CWE-noinfo
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 22, 2021
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-noinfo)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-40836 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.