How severe is CVE-2021-44029?

CVE-2021-44029 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-44029 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-44029?

CVE-2021-44029 affects Quest Kace Desktop Authority. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-44029?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-44029 published?

CVE-2021-44029 was published on 2021-12-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-44029

CVE-2021-44029 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Quest Kace Desktop Authority with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. 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: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (54th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-502
Affected product: Quest Kace Desktop Authority
Published: 2021-12-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in Quest KACE Desktop Authority before 11.2. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute remote code through a deserialization exploitation in the RadAsyncUpload function of ASP.NET AJAX. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability when the encryption keys are known (due to the presence of CVE-2017-11317, CVE-2017-11357, or other means). A default setting for the type whitelisting feature in more current versions of ASP.NET AJAX prevents exploitation.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-44029?: An issue was discovered in Quest KACE Desktop Authority before 11.2. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute remote code through a deserialization exploitation in the RadAsyncUpload function of ASP.NET AJAX. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability when the encryption keys are known (due to the presence of CVE-2017-11317, CVE-2017-11357, or other means). A default setting for the type whitelisting feature in more current versions of ASP.NET AJAX prevents exploitation.
How severe is CVE-2021-44029?: CVE-2021-44029 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-44029 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-44029?: CVE-2021-44029 affects Quest Kace Desktop Authority. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-44029?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-44029 published?: CVE-2021-44029 was published on 2021-12-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.quest.com/kace-desktop-authority/kb/336098/quest-response-to-desktop-authority-vulnerabilities-prior-to-11-2

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:quest:kace_desktop_authority:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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