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Findings

CVE-2021-27878

Veritas Backup Exec Agent Command Execution Vulnerability

Published Mar 1, 2021 · updated Jun 16, 2026 · veritas backup exec

An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute data management protocol commands on the authenticated connection. The attacker could use one of these commands to execute an arbitrary command on the system using system privileges.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Mar 1, 2021 · Catalog

    Detected

    An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute da

  2. Apr 7, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. Apr 28, 2023 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attacker is able to gain unauthorized access and complete the authentication process. Subsequently, the client can execute da

Required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date Apr 28, 2023

Affected

  • cpe veritas/backup execversion unspecified
  • vendor Veritas Backup Exec Agentversion unspecified

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2021-27878

    Veritas Backup Exec (BE) Agent contains a command execution vulnerability that could allow an attacker to use a data management protocol command to execute a command on the BE Agent machine.

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2021-27878

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2021-27878

    30-day exploitation probability 24.0%

    first.org
  • Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_multi/veritas/beagent_sha_auth_rce

    Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.

    rapid7.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2021-27878

    An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. The communication between a client and an Agent requires successful authentication, which is typically completed over a secure TLS communication. However, due to a vulnerability in the SHA Authentication scheme, an attac

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/168506/Veritas-Backup-Exec-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com

References