How severe is CVE-2021-23874?

CVE-2021-23874 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-23874 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2021-23874 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-11-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-23874?

CVE-2021-23874 affects Mcafee Total Protection. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-23874?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2021-23874 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2021-23874 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-10800. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-11-03).

When was CVE-2021-23874 published?

CVE-2021-23874 was published on 2021-02-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-23874

CVE-2021-23874 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mcafee Total Protection with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2021-11-03). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-732.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.2)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (59th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2021-11-03)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2021-10800
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2021-11-03)
Weakness: CWE-732
Affected product: Mcafee Total Protection
Published: 2021-02-10
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Arbitrary Process Execution vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.30 allows a local user to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary code bypassing MTP self-defense.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-23874?: Arbitrary Process Execution vulnerability in McAfee Total Protection (MTP) prior to 16.0.30 allows a local user to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary code bypassing MTP self-defense.
How severe is CVE-2021-23874?: CVE-2021-23874 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-23874 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2021-23874 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-11-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-23874?: CVE-2021-23874 affects Mcafee Total Protection. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-23874?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2021-23874 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2021-23874 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-10800. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-11-03).
When was CVE-2021-23874 published?: CVE-2021-23874 was published on 2021-02-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:mcafee:total_protection:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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