How severe is CVE-2021-21589?

CVE-2021-21589 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-21589 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-21589?

CVE-2021-21589 primarily affects Dell Emc Unity Operating Environment. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-21589?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2021-21589 published?

CVE-2021-21589 was published on 2021-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-21589

CVE-2021-21589 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Dell Emc Unity Operating Environment with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.7. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.7)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (9th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Dell Emc Unity Operating Environment
Published: 2021-07-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Dell EMC Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA versions prior to 5.1.0.0.5.394 do not exit on failed Initialization. A local authenticated Service user could potentially exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-21589?: Dell EMC Unity, Unity XT, and UnityVSA versions prior to 5.1.0.0.5.394 do not exit on failed Initialization. A local authenticated Service user could potentially exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges.
How severe is CVE-2021-21589?: CVE-2021-21589 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-21589 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21589?: CVE-2021-21589 primarily affects Dell Emc Unity Operating Environment. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21589?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-21589 published?: CVE-2021-21589 was published on 2021-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/000189204

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:dell:emc_unity_operating_environment:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dell:emc_unity_xt_operating_environment:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dell:emc_unityvsa_operating_environment:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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