Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This issue can let an attacker who can force a victim system clock far into the future break a WireGuard static private key. The cited impact is availability, not data theft or tampering. Business urgency depends on whether WireGuard systems rely on unauthenticated or weakly controlled time synchronization.
Executive priority
Address in normal vulnerability management unless VPN availability is mission-critical or time synchronization is weak. The key business risk is loss of VPN availability, not breach of confidentiality based on the provided sources.
Technical view
CVE-2021-46873 concerns WireGuard, with WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows cited as an example. If an adversary can set system time to a future value, such as through unauthenticated NTP, WireGuard may make one static private key permanently unusable. CVSS 3.1 is 5.3 with low availability impact only.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most plausible on WireGuard endpoints where system time can be manipulated remotely or through unauthenticated NTP. The source bundle does not provide a complete affected product or version matrix.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation requires the attacker to influence the victim system time, then trigger the WireGuard key-usability failure. Treat this as targeted availability risk, not confirmed widespread exploitation.
Researcher notes
The CVE record lacks a detailed affected-version matrix and names WireGuard 0.5.3 on Windows only as an example. The root condition is attacker influence over future system time; validation should focus on time-source trust and observed key failure behavior.
Mitigation direction
- Check WireGuard project or vendor guidance for affected versions and fixes.
- Remove unauthenticated or untrusted time synchronization from WireGuard hosts.
- Use trusted, controlled time sources where available.
- Prepare recovery steps for replacing unusable WireGuard static private keys.
- Prioritize internet-facing or business-critical VPN endpoints first.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WireGuard endpoints and record client versions, especially Windows deployments.
- Review NTP and time synchronization configuration on WireGuard hosts.
- Check logs for unexpected large future clock jumps.
- Look for WireGuard connectivity failures after time synchronization anomalies.
- Confirm whether vendors identify your deployed version as affected.
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
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-362: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-46873 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
- 5.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L3.91.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://lists.zx2c4.com/pipermail/wireguard/2021-August/006916.htmlCVE reference
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.
Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.