dbcve.org
Kace Desktop AuthorityApplication · Quest

CVE-2021-44028

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-12-22
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 11.2 or later.
See remediation →
58/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
No privileges

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 · unedited
XXE can occur in Quest KACE Desktop Authority before 11.2 because the log4net configuration file might be controlled by an attacker, a related issue to CVE-2018-1285.

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 confidence

An XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability exists in Quest KACE Desktop Authority versions before 11.2. The vulnerability occurs because the log4net configuration file can be controlled by an attacker, allowing malicious XML parsing that could lead to disclosure of internal files or SSRF attacks.

MitigationUpgrade Quest KACE Desktop Authority to version 11.2 or later. Additionally, ensure that the log4net configuration file has appropriate filesystem permissions to prevent unauthorized modification.

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
Kace Desktop AuthorityApplication
Affected:>= 10.0, < 11.2

CVSS 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
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Determine installed Quest KACE Desktop Authority version
    Open the Desktop Authority management console or check the program files directory for version information. On the server, navigate to the installation directory and locate the version file or check the 'About' section in the management interface.
    Affected if The installed version is 10.0 or higher but lower than 11.2 (e.g., 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 11.0, 11.1)
  2. Locate the log4net configuration file
    In the Desktop Authority installation directory, search for files named 'log4net.config', 'log4net.xml', or similar log4net configuration files. Common paths include the Config subfolder or the root installation directory.
    Affected if A log4net configuration file exists in the Desktop Authority installation directory
  3. Verify log4net configuration file permissions
    Right-click the log4net configuration file, select Properties, and review the Permissions tab. Check which users and groups have Write or Modify permissions on the file.
    Affected if Users other than Administrators or the service account have Write or Modify permissions to the log4net configuration file, allowing unauthorized modification
  4. Check if the log4net service is running
    Open Windows Services (services.msc) and locate the Quest KACE Desktop Authority service. Verify if it is running and using the log4net library for logging.
    Affected if The Desktop Authority service is running and utilizes log4net for logging functionality

A user is affected if their installed Quest KACE Desktop Authority version is between 10.0 and 11.1 (inclusive) AND the log4net configuration file is writable by unauthorized users, enabling an attacker to inject malicious XML entities.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 11.2 or later
Fixed in 11.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Quest KACE Desktop Authority to version 11.2 or later. Additionally, ensure that the log4net configuration file has appropriate filesystem permissions to prevent unauthorized modification.

Recommended fix High confidence

11.2 or later

  1. Identify the current installed version of KACE Desktop Authority by checking the application or system information
  2. Review the current configuration and document settings for backup purposes
  3. Create a complete backup of the KACE Desktop Authority installation directory and its configuration files
  4. Download KACE Desktop Authority version 11.2 or later from the Quest Support portal (support.quest.com)
  5. Stop the KACE Desktop Authority service before beginning the upgrade process
  6. Run the installer for version 11.2 or later, following the on-screen prompts and Quest's documented upgrade procedures
  7. After installation completes, verify the new version number matches the expected 11.2 or later
  8. Review the log4net configuration file to ensure it has proper secure settings and is not externally controllable

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Kace Desktop Authority Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-44028 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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