CVE-2021-42278
Published: April 11, 2022
Official Description
Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.
CISA KEV Advisory
Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Risk Analysis
Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation. The high EPSS score of 0.94066 indicates a very high likelihood of exploitation, making this a significant security concern.
This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in CISA's KEV catalog, confirming its use by threat actors. It is remotely exploitable.
Apply the latest security updates for Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services to mitigate this privilege escalation vulnerability.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-42278 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CISA has added CVE-2021-42278 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-42278 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
- !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
- !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1