CVE-2021-21551

HIGH KEV

Dell DBUtil < 2.3 - Authenticated Insufficient Access Control in IOCTL Handler

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2021-21551 is actively exploited and listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added March 31, 2022. EIP tracks 16 public exploits from researchers including Paolo Stagno, waldo-irc, tijme, including a Metasploit module exploits/windows/local/cve_2021_21551_dbutil_memmove.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages an arbitrary write vulnerability in the DELL dbutil_2_3.sys driver to overwrite token privileges in kernelspace, achieving local privilege escalation (LPE) on Windows 10. It uses DeviceIoControl to manipulate the _SEP_TOKEN_PRIVILEGES structure of the current process token.

Description

Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead to escalation of privileges, denial of service, or information disclosure. Local authenticated user access is required.

Exploits (16)

exploitdb WORKING POC
by Paolo Stagno · localwindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/49893

This exploit leverages an arbitrary write vulnerability in the DELL dbutil_2_3.sys driver to overwrite token privileges in kernelspace, achieving local privilege escalation (LPE) on Windows 10. It uses DeviceIoControl to manipulate the _SEP_TOKEN_PRIVILEGES structure of the current process token.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: DELL dbutil_2_3.sys <= 2.3
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to the vulnerable driver (DBUtil_2_3) · Local access to the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 235 stars
by waldo-irc · local
https://github.com/waldo-irc/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell BIOS driver privilege escalation vulnerability. The exploit leverages token manipulation and RPC calls to achieve local privilege escalation (LPE) on vulnerable Windows systems.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell BIOS driver (affecting multiple Dell computer models)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable system · SeImpersonatePrivilege or similar privileges
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 85 stars
by tijme · local
https://github.com/tijme/kernel-mii

This repository contains a functional Cobalt Strike Beacon Object File (BOF) exploit for CVE-2021-21551, targeting a Dell driver vulnerability. The exploit leverages arbitrary read/write primitives to escalate privileges by overwriting the beacon process token with the system process token.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver (affected versions)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Vulnerable Dell driver present on the system · Local access to the target machine
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 58 stars
by mathisvickie · poc
https://github.com/mathisvickie/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell driver vulnerability allowing arbitrary kernel memory read/write via IOCTL calls. The PoC elevates privileges by overwriting the current process token with the system token.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Vulnerable Dell driver installed · Windows OS (tested on Windows 8, 10 2004, 10 20H2)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 32 stars
by ihack4falafel · local
https://github.com/ihack4falafel/Dell-Driver-EoP-CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell driver privilege escalation vulnerability. The exploit leverages the vulnerable 'dbutil_2_3' driver to overwrite token privileges, granting elevated permissions to the current user.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell dbutil_2_3 driver
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of vulnerable Dell driver (dbutil_2_3.sys) · Local access to the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 26 stars
by nanabingies · local
https://github.com/nanabingies/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell driver privilege escalation vulnerability. The exploit leverages insufficient access control in the dbutil_2_3.sys driver to achieve local privilege escalation by manipulating kernel memory via bitmap operations and token stealing.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver (Windows 10 v1511 tested)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local authenticated user access · Presence of vulnerable Dell driver (dbutil_2_3.sys)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 25 stars
by ch3rn0byl · local
https://github.com/ch3rn0byl/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell BIOS driver vulnerability. The exploit leverages arbitrary kernel memory read/write operations to achieve local privilege escalation by manipulating page table entries and executing code in kernel mode.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell BIOS driver (dbutil_2_3.sys)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Dell system with the affected driver loaded
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 24 stars
by mzakocs · local
https://github.com/mzakocs/CVE-2021-21551-POC

This repository contains a functional proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2021-21551, targeting the Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver. The code demonstrates arbitrary read/write capabilities in kernel memory by leveraging vulnerable IOCTL calls, enabling local privilege escalation.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of vulnerable Dell dbutil_2_3.sys driver · Local access to the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 1 stars
by Eap2468 · local
https://github.com/Eap2468/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a vulnerability in the Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver that allows arbitrary read/write operations via IOCTL calls. The exploit leverages these operations to escalate privileges by overwriting the token of the current process with the system token.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of vulnerable Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver · Local access to the system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 1 stars
by arnaudluti · poc
https://github.com/arnaudluti/PS-CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains PowerShell scripts to mitigate CVE-2021-21551 by detecting and removing the vulnerable 'dbutil_2_3.sys' driver installed by Dell SupportAssist or BIOS update tools. The scripts include both remote (domain-wide via WinRM) and local cleanup versions.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell SupportAssist, Dell BIOS Update Utility (dbutil_2_3.sys driver)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Administrative access to target systems · WinRM enabled for remote version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
gitlab WORKING POC
by securitystuffbackup · remote
https://gitlab.com/securitystuffbackup/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell BIOS driver privilege escalation vulnerability. The exploit leverages token manipulation and RPC-based techniques to escalate privileges on vulnerable Windows systems.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell BIOS driver (affecting multiple Windows versions)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Windows system · SeImpersonatePrivilege or similar privileges
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 23, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by bengabay1994 · local
https://github.com/bengabay1994/cve-2021-21551-PoC

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell DBUtil driver vulnerability. The exploit leverages arbitrary read/write primitives via IOCTL calls to achieve local privilege escalation (LPE) by manipulating kernel memory structures.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell DBUtil Driver 2.3
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable system · Dell DBUtil driver version 2.3 installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by luke0x90 · local
https://github.com/luke0x90/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, demonstrating arbitrary read/write primitives in the Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver to bypass SMEP and execute a token-stealing payload for local privilege escalation.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver (version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable system · Dell DBUtil_2_3 driver installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by IlanDudnik · local
https://github.com/IlanDudnik/CVE-2021-21551

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, a Dell BIOS driver vulnerability, demonstrating local privilege escalation (LPE) by overwriting the current process token with the system token to spawn a SYSTEM-level command prompt.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell BIOS driver (DBUtil_2_3.sys) on Windows 11 21H2 22000.1335
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of vulnerable Dell BIOS driver (DBUtil_2_3.sys) · Local access to the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
local
https://github.com/jbaines-r7/dellicious

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2021-21551, which leverages a vulnerable Dell driver (DBUtilDrv2.sys) to bypass LSA protection on Windows systems. The exploit demonstrates arbitrary read/write primitives to modify process protection flags, enabling or disabling memory access restrictions on processes like lsass.exe.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell DBUtilDrv2.sys (versions 2.5 and 2.7)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Administrator access · Vulnerable Dell driver (DBUtilDrv2.sys)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 25, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC GOOD
by Kasif Dekel, SentinelLabs, Spencer McIntyre · rubypocwin
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/cve_2021_21551_dbutil_memmove.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2021-21551, a vulnerability in Dell's DBUtil_2_3.sys driver that allows unprotected IOCTL access to read/write kernel memory, enabling local privilege escalation (LPE). The exploit checks for the vulnerable driver, verifies target compatibility, and executes a reflective DLL payload to achieve elevated privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Dell DBUtil_2_3.sys driver (affecting various Windows versions)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable Windows system with the Dell DBUtil_2_3.sys driver installed · Meterpreter session
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 8.8
EPSS 0.7452
EPSS Percentile 98.9%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation active
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CISA KEV 2022-03-31
VulnCheck KEV 2022-03-31
InTheWild.io 2021-05-17
ENISA EUVD EUVD-2021-8823
CWE
CWE-782
Status published
Products (1)
dell/dbutil < 2.3
Published May 04, 2021
KEV Added Mar 31, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026