---
id: "CVE-2021-21551"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2021-21551"]
title: "Dell dbutil Driver: Dell dbutil Driver Insufficient Access Control Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 8.8
epss: 0.80058
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Dell dbutil Driver", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["dell", "exploited", "infrastructure", "self-hosted", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["unknown"]
published_at: "2021-05-04T16:15:07+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2021-21551", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2021-21551", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21551", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Dell dbutil Driver: Dell dbutil Driver Insufficient Access Control Vulnerability

Dell's dbutil driver, a low-level driver shipped with some Dell systems, has an access control flaw that lets a local user escalate privileges, crash the system, or read information they should not see. CISA lists it as actively exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Dell dbutil Driver affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the update from Dell per vendor instructions (CISA required action); the affected and fixed versions are not stated in the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2021-21551
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2021-21551
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21551

## From the sources

Dell dbutil driver contains an insufficient access control vulnerability which may lead to escalation of privileges, denial-of-service (DoS), or information disclosure.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_