---
id: "CVE-2021-38649"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2021-38649"]
title: "Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI): Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.02887
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI)", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["azure", "azure-vm-extensions", "exploited", "infrastructure", "linux", "omi"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2021-09-15T12:15:15+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2021-38649", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2021-38649", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38649", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI): Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Microsoft's Open Management Infrastructure (OMI), used by Azure VM Management Extensions, has an unspecified flaw that allows privilege escalation. An attacker who already has some access to the machine can gain higher privileges, and CISA lists it as actively exploited.

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

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply updates per vendor instructions; the sources give no patched version.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2021-38649
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2021-38649
- 2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38649

## From the sources

Microsoft Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) within Azure VM Management Extensions contains an unspecified vulnerability allowing privilege escalation.

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_