CVE-2021-38416
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedDelta Electronics DIALink versions 1.2.4.0 and prior insecurely loads libraries, which may allow an attacker to use DLL hijacking and takeover the system where the software is installed.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceDelta Electronics DIALink versions 1.2.4.0 and prior contains a DLL hijacking vulnerability where the application insecurely loads dynamic link libraries from untrusted locations, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the software.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 1.2.4.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify DIALink installation locationLocate the DIALink application executable (typically named DIALink.exe or similar) on the system using file search or checking common installation directories such as C:\Program Files\Delta Electronics\DIALink or C:\Program Files (x86)\Delta Electronics\DIALinkAffected if The application is found in any directory on the system
-
Determine installed DIALink versionRight-click the DIALink executable, select Properties, and inspect the Version tab to obtain the product version. Alternatively, right-click the executable in File Explorer, select Properties, and check the Details pane for version informationAffected if The displayed version number is 1.2.4.0 or earlier (e.g., 1.2.3.0, 1.2.2.0, etc.)
-
Verify application directory integrityExamine the directory containing the DIALink executable for any unauthorized or unexpected DLL files that were not part of the original installation. Check for DLLs with suspicious names or those placed in the application directory that could be hijackedAffected if Unexpected DLL files exist in the DIALink installation directory that were not part of the original installation
A system is affected if DIALink version 1.2.4.0 or earlier is installed, particularly if the application directory lacks restricted permissions or contains untrusted DLL files that could be loaded by the vulnerable application.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate DIALink to version 1.2.5.0 or later which addresses the insecure library loading. Ensure the application runs from a secured directory with restricted permissions to prevent injection of malicious DLLs.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-38416 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-38416 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data