How severe is CVE-2021-37942?

CVE-2021-37942 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-37942 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (16th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-37942?

CVE-2021-37942 affects Elastic Apm Java Agent. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-37942?

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-2021-37942 published?

CVE-2021-37942 was published on 2023-11-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-37942

CVE-2021-37942 is a high-severity vulnerability in Elastic Apm Java Agent with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. 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 7.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (16th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Elastic Apm Java Agent
Published: 2023-11-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A local privilege escalation issue was found with the APM Java agent, where a user on the system could attach a malicious plugin to an application running the APM Java agent. By using this vulnerability, an attacker could execute code at a potentially higher level of permissions than their user typically has access to.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-37942?: A local privilege escalation issue was found with the APM Java agent, where a user on the system could attach a malicious plugin to an application running the APM Java agent. By using this vulnerability, an attacker could execute code at a potentially higher level of permissions than their user typically has access to.
How severe is CVE-2021-37942?: CVE-2021-37942 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-37942 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (16th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-37942?: CVE-2021-37942 affects Elastic Apm Java Agent. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-37942?: 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-2021-37942 published?: CVE-2021-37942 was published on 2023-11-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:elastic:apm_java_agent:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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