How severe is CVE-2021-27240?

CVE-2021-27240 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, 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-2021-27240 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-27240?

CVE-2021-27240 affects Solarwinds Patch Manager. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-27240?

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-2021-27240 published?

CVE-2021-27240 was published on 2021-03-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-27240

CVE-2021-27240 is a high-severity vulnerability in Solarwinds Patch Manager with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-502.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-502
Affected product: Solarwinds Patch Manager
Published: 2021-03-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of SolarWinds Patch Manager 2020.2.1. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the DataGridService WCF service. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of Administrator. Was ZDI-CAN-12009.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-27240?: This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of SolarWinds Patch Manager 2020.2.1. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the DataGridService WCF service. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of Administrator. Was ZDI-CAN-12009.
How severe is CVE-2021-27240?: CVE-2021-27240 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, 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-2021-27240 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-27240?: CVE-2021-27240 affects Solarwinds Patch Manager. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-27240?: 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-2021-27240 published?: CVE-2021-27240 was published on 2021-03-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-207/

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:solarwinds:patch_manager:2020.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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