How severe is CVE-2021-44515?

CVE-2021-44515 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-2021-44515 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2021-44515 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-12-10, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-44515?

CVE-2021-44515 primarily affects Zohocorp Manageengine Desktop Central. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-44515?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2021-44515 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2021-44515 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-31348. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-12-10).

When was CVE-2021-44515 published?

CVE-2021-44515 was published on 2021-12-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2021-44515

CVE-2021-44515 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Zohocorp Manageengine Desktop Central with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2021-12-10).

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 10.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 100% (100th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2021-12-10)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2021-31348
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2021-12-10)
Affected product: Zohocorp Manageengine Desktop Central
Published: 2021-12-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central is vulnerable to authentication bypass, leading to remote code execution on the server, as exploited in the wild in December 2021. For Enterprise builds 10.1.2127.17 and earlier, upgrade to 10.1.2127.18. For Enterprise builds 10.1.2128.0 through 10.1.2137.2, upgrade to 10.1.2137.3. For MSP builds 10.1.2127.17 and earlier, upgrade to 10.1.2127.18. For MSP builds 10.1.2128.0 through 10.1.2137.2, upgrade to 10.1.2137.3.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-44515?: Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central is vulnerable to authentication bypass, leading to remote code execution on the server, as exploited in the wild in December 2021. For Enterprise builds 10.1.2127.17 and earlier, upgrade to 10.1.2127.18. For Enterprise builds 10.1.2128.0 through 10.1.2137.2, upgrade to 10.1.2137.3. For MSP builds 10.1.2127.17 and earlier, upgrade to 10.1.2127.18. For MSP builds 10.1.2128.0 through 10.1.2137.2, upgrade to 10.1.2137.3.
How severe is CVE-2021-44515?: CVE-2021-44515 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-2021-44515 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2021-44515 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2021-12-10, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-44515?: CVE-2021-44515 primarily affects Zohocorp Manageengine Desktop Central. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-44515?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2021-44515 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2021-44515 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2021-31348. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2021-12-10).
When was CVE-2021-44515 published?: CVE-2021-44515 was published on 2021-12-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:zohocorp:manageengine_desktop_central:*:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:zohocorp:manageengine_desktop_central:*:*:*:*:managed_service_providers:*:*:*

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