How severe is CVE-2021-44463?

CVE-2021-44463 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-44463 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (18th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-44463?

CVE-2021-44463 primarily affects Emerson Deltav. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-44463?

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-2021-44463 published?

CVE-2021-44463 was published on 2022-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-44463

CVE-2021-44463 is a high-severity vulnerability in Emerson Deltav with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. 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-427.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.1)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (18th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-427
Affected product: Emerson Deltav
Published: 2022-01-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Missing DLLs, if replaced by an insider, could allow an attacker to achieve local privilege escalation on the DeltaV Distributed Control System Controllers and Workstations (All versions) when some DeltaV services are started.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-44463?: Missing DLLs, if replaced by an insider, could allow an attacker to achieve local privilege escalation on the DeltaV Distributed Control System Controllers and Workstations (All versions) when some DeltaV services are started.
How severe is CVE-2021-44463?: CVE-2021-44463 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-44463 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (18th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-44463?: CVE-2021-44463 primarily affects Emerson Deltav. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-44463?: 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-2021-44463 published?: CVE-2021-44463 was published on 2022-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ics/advisories/icsa-21-355-04

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:emerson:deltav:13.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:emerson:deltav:14:feature_pack1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:emerson:deltav:14:feature_pack2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:emerson:deltav:14.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:emerson:deltav:r6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Emerson Deltav

CVE-2018-14795 — High (CVSS 8.8): DeltaV Versions 11.3.1, 12.3.1, 13.3.0, 13.3.1, and R5 is vulnerable due to improper path validation which may allow an…
CVE-2018-14793 — High (CVSS 8.8): DeltaV Versions 11.3.1, 12.3.1, 13.3.0, 13.3.1, and R5 is vulnerable to a buffer overflow exploit through an open…
CVE-2018-14797 — High (CVSS 7.8): Emerson DeltaV DCS versions 11.3.1, 12.3.1, 13.3.0, 13.3.1, R5 allow a specially crafted DLL file to be placed in the…
CVE-2018-14791 — High (CVSS 7.8): Emerson DeltaV DCS versions 11.3.1, 12.3.1, 13.3.0, 13.3.1, R5 may allow non-administrative users to change executable…
CVE-2012-1817 — High (CVSS 7.5): Buffer overflow in Emerson DeltaV and DeltaV Workstations 9.3.1, 10.3.1, 11.3, and 11.3.1 and DeltaV ProEssentials…
CVE-2012-1815 — High (CVSS 7.5): SQL injection vulnerability in Emerson DeltaV and DeltaV Workstations 9.3.1, 10.3.1, 11.3, and 11.3.1 and DeltaV…

All CVEs affecting Emerson Deltav →

Other CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2025-69599 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): RayVentory Scan Engine through 12.6 Update 8 allows attackers to gain privileges if they control the value of the PATH…
CVE-2019-25268 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): NREL BEopt 2.8.0.0 contains a DLL hijacking vulnerability that allows attackers to load arbitrary libraries by tricking…
CVE-2023-53959 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): FileZilla Client 3.63.1 contains a DLL hijacking vulnerability that allows attackers to execute malicious code by…
CVE-2025-65741 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Sublime Text 3 Build 3208 or prior for MacOS is vulnerable to Dylib Injection. An attacker could compile a .dylib file…
CVE-2024-23054 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): An issue in Plone Docker Official Image 5.2.13 (5221) open-source software that could allow for remote code execution…

Browse all CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element) vulnerabilities →