Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-31946 is a high-severity remote code execution issue in Microsoft Paint 3D. A user must interact with malicious content for exploitation, but successful compromise could allow full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on that user’s system.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation on user workstations because exploitation requires user interaction but could lead to full endpoint compromise. This is not KEV-listed in the bundle, so urgency is high but not confirmed active-exploitation emergency.
Technical view
The supplied CVSS 3.1 vector is 7.8 high: local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, unchanged scope, and high CIA impact. The bundle identifies Microsoft Paint 3D version 6.0.0 as affected and does not provide CWE or root-cause details.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Windows endpoints where Microsoft Paint 3D 6.0.0 is installed or available to users. Risk depends on whether users can open untrusted Paint 3D-handled content.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. CVSS exploit maturity is marked unproven. Treat this as serious because user-assisted code execution can still support phishing-led compromise.
Researcher notes
The source bundle is sparse: no CWE, exploit narrative, affected platform detail, or root cause is provided. Analysis is therefore limited to MSRC/ZDI references, affected product metadata, CVSS attributes, and KEV status.
Mitigation direction
- Review Microsoft MSRC guidance for CVE-2021-31946.
- Apply the official Microsoft fix where Paint 3D is present.
- Remove or disable Paint 3D where not business-required.
- Limit user exposure to untrusted content handled by Paint 3D.
- Prioritize managed endpoints over unmanaged personal devices.
Validation and detection
- Inventory endpoints for Microsoft Paint 3D 6.0.0.
- Confirm Microsoft update status against CVE-2021-31946.
- Check software inventory for remaining Paint 3D installations.
- Review endpoint detections for suspicious Paint 3D child processes.
- Document exceptions where Paint 3D remains required.
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.
Execution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-31946 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
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
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:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31946CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-671/CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-21-684/CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.