How severe is CVE-2021-35523?

CVE-2021-35523 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-2021-35523 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-35523?

CVE-2021-35523 affects Securepoint Openvpn-client. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-35523?

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-2021-35523 published?

CVE-2021-35523 was published on 2021-06-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-35523

CVE-2021-35523 is a high-severity vulnerability in Securepoint Openvpn-client 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-269.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (49th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Securepoint Openvpn-client
Published: 2021-06-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Securepoint SSL VPN Client v2 before 2.0.32 on Windows has unsafe configuration handling that enables local privilege escalation to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. A non-privileged local user can modify the OpenVPN configuration stored under "%APPDATA%\Securepoint SSL VPN" and add a external script file that is executed as privileged user.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-35523?: Securepoint SSL VPN Client v2 before 2.0.32 on Windows has unsafe configuration handling that enables local privilege escalation to NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM. A non-privileged local user can modify the OpenVPN configuration stored under "%APPDATA%\Securepoint SSL VPN" and add a external script file that is executed as privileged user.
How severe is CVE-2021-35523?: CVE-2021-35523 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-2021-35523 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (49th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-35523?: CVE-2021-35523 affects Securepoint Openvpn-client. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-35523?: 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-2021-35523 published?: CVE-2021-35523 was published on 2021-06-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:securepoint:openvpn-client:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*

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