Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Some Dell EMC Azure Stack Hub systems shipped with an undocumented default iDRAC account. If an attacker knows those credentials and can reach the management interface, they could log in and gain root-level control. This is a serious management-plane exposure, not a general web-app issue.
Executive priority
Treat this as high priority for Azure Stack Hub environments because it affects privileged infrastructure management. Prioritize inventory, Dell advisory remediation, and management-network restriction before broader routine patching.
Technical view
CVE-2021-21505 affects Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack Hub versions 1906 through 2011. The issue is an undocumented default iDRAC account, categorized as CWE-255. The listed CVSS 3.1 score is 8.0, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in organizations running Dell EMC Integrated System for Microsoft Azure Stack Hub versions 1906-2011, especially where iDRAC management access is reachable from less-trusted networks.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not indicate CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires knowledge of the default credentials and sufficient network reachability to the affected iDRAC service. Successful access could provide root privileges.
Researcher notes
Evidence is strong for the vulnerable condition and impact, but the bundle does not include detailed patch mechanics. Avoid assuming exploit activity. Focus validation on affected version range, iDRAC account state, network reachability, and suspicious management-plane logins.
Mitigation direction
- Review Dell advisory DSA-2021-020 for vendor-prescribed remediation.
- Apply Dell security updates or configuration changes named in the advisory.
- Restrict iDRAC management access to trusted administrative networks only.
- Audit local iDRAC accounts against Dell guidance.
- Rotate credentials for administrative and management-plane accounts.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Dell EMC Azure Stack Hub systems and confirm software versions.
- Check whether any systems run versions 1906 through 2011.
- Validate iDRAC account configuration against Dell advisory guidance.
- Review iDRAC authentication logs for unexpected root or default-account activity.
- Confirm management interfaces are not exposed to untrusted networks.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-255: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-21505 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.15.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Credentials Management Errors
Credentials Management Errors represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.