CVE-2021-21788

CVE-2021-21788 is a high-severity vulnerability in Iobit Advanced Systemcare Ultimate with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-782.

Key facts

Description

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the way IOBit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 14.2.0.220 driver handles Privileged I/O write requests. During IOCTL 0x9c40a0dc, the first dword passed in the input buffer is the device port to write to and the word at offset 4 is the value to write via the OUT instruction. The OUT instruction can write one byte to the given I/O device port, potentially leading to escalated privileges of unprivileged users. A local attacker can send a malicious IRP to trigger this vulnerability.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-21788?
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the way IOBit Advanced SystemCare Ultimate 14.2.0.220 driver handles Privileged I/O write requests. During IOCTL 0x9c40a0dc, the first dword passed in the input buffer is the device port to write to and the word at offset 4 is the value to write via the OUT instruction. The OUT instruction can write one byte to the given I/O device port, potentially leading to escalated privileges of unprivileged users. A local attacker can send a malicious IRP to trigger this vulnerability.
How severe is CVE-2021-21788?
CVE-2021-21788 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-21788 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (24th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-21788?
CVE-2021-21788 affects Iobit Advanced Systemcare Ultimate. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21788?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-21788 published?
CVE-2021-21788 was published on 2021-07-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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