Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-47974 lets a local Windows user potentially turn limited access into LocalSystem control on hosts running VX Search 13.5.28. The risk comes from unquoted service paths in VX Search Server and Enterprise services. This is most urgent on shared servers, jump boxes, or systems where non-admin users can write to relevant directories.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority where VX Search 13.5.28 runs on multi-user or sensitive Windows systems. The issue is local, but successful exploitation can provide full host control.
Technical view
VX Search 13.5.28 is affected by CWE-428 unquoted service paths in VX Search Server and VX Search Enterprise services. A low-privileged local attacker may place a malicious executable in an interpreted path location and gain arbitrary code execution as LocalSystem when the service restarts. CVSS v4.0 score is 8.5 high.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Windows systems running VX Search 13.5.28, especially installations with the affected server or enterprise services. Internet exposure is not the key factor; local account access and filesystem permissions drive risk.
Exploitation context
A public ExploitDB entry is referenced, but the source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Exploitation requires local access, low privileges, a writable path location, and a service restart condition.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports a local privilege escalation in VX Search 13.5.28 only. Sources do not provide a confirmed vendor patch, KEV status, or active exploitation claim. Validate service path quoting and filesystem ACLs without performing exploit actions.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all systems running VX Search 13.5.28.
- Check VX Search vendor guidance for supported updates or remediation.
- Limit local user access on affected hosts where possible.
- Restrict write permissions to VX Search installation path directories.
- Prioritize remediation on shared Windows servers and privileged management hosts.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed VX Search versions and editions.
- Confirm whether VX Search Server or Enterprise services exist.
- Review service path configuration for unquoted executable paths.
- Check whether non-admin users can write to interpreted path directories.
- Document service restart exposure and operational impact.
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-428: 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 lookupExecution 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 lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-47974 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
- 8.5 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe 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:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.5HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ExploitDB-50026CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- Official Product HomepageCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- VulnCheck Advisory: VX Search 13.5.28 Unquoted Service Path Privilege EscalationCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
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.
Unquoted Search Path or Element
Unquoted Search Path or Element represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.