Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-2306 is an Oracle VM VirtualBox Core vulnerability affecting versions before 6.1.20. A high-privileged user already able to log on where VirtualBox runs could gain unauthorized access to critical data available to VirtualBox. The business risk is data exposure on virtualization hosts, not remote internet takeover.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted data-exposure risk on VirtualBox hosts. Prioritize patching where VirtualBox runs on shared, sensitive, or production-adjacent systems with multiple privileged users.
Technical view
The CVSS 3.1 vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N, scored 6.0. It requires local access and high privileges, but has changed scope and high confidentiality impact. The provided sources do not list a CWE or detailed root cause.
Likely exposure
Exposure is mainly systems running Oracle VM VirtualBox before 6.1.20, especially shared administrator workstations, lab hosts, build hosts, or infrastructure where privileged local logon is possible.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. Exploitation requires a high-privileged attacker with local logon to the infrastructure where VirtualBox executes.
Researcher notes
Key gaps in the provided evidence are missing CWE, no root-cause detail, and no exploit telemetry. Scope changed with confidentiality impact only; validation should focus on version exposure and privileged local access paths.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Oracle VM VirtualBox to 6.1.20 or later per Oracle guidance.
- Apply relevant OS distribution updates, including Gentoo guidance where applicable.
- Restrict privileged local logon access on VirtualBox host systems.
- Review vendor advisories before relying on compensating controls.
Validation and detection
- Inventory VirtualBox installations and record installed versions.
- Confirm no VirtualBox host remains below version 6.1.20.
- Check whether privileged local users are limited to approved administrators.
- Verify patch status against Oracle CPU April 2021 and relevant distribution advisories.
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.
CVE-2021-2306 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
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:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N1.54Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2021.htmlCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- GLSA-202208-36CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO
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.