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CVE-2021-44207

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Acclaim Systems USAHERDS. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws.

CVE-2021-44207 is a security flaw in Acclaim Systems USAHERDS. Attackers can run their own code on Acclaim Systems USAHERDS. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 23 Dec 2024.[1]

Acclaim Systems USAHERDS is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Acclaim Systems has published a fix or advice.

Description

CISA calls it an use of hard-coded credentials in Acclaim Systems USAHERDS. In its words: “Acclaim Systems USAHERDS contains a hard-coded credentials vulnerability that could allow an attacker to achieve remote code execution on the system that runs the application. The MachineKey must be obtained via a separate vulnerability or other channel.”[1]

The underlying weakness is hard-coded credentials (CWE-798), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]

It scores 8.1 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]

Affected versions

NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Acclaim Systems’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Acclaim Systems USAHERDS.

Most families won’t have Acclaim Systems USAHERDS; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 23 Dec 2024, 1,098 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 13 Jan 2025 to fix it.[1]

FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 18%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]

CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.

CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.

Fix

Acclaim Systems has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]

  1. Check whether you use it.Acclaim Systems USAHERDS is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
  2. Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 13 Jan 2025 to fix it.
  3. If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.

You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.

Timeline

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 8.1.[2]
CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1]
CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1]
FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 18%.[4]

See also

Other hard-coded credentials flaws

  • CVE-2026-22769, Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines (RP4VMs): use of hard-coded credentials ·
  • CVE-2025-14611, Gladinet CentreStack and Triofox: hard coded cryptographic ·
  • CVE-2019-6693, Fortinet FortiOS: use of hard-coded credentials ·
  • CVE-2024-28987, SolarWinds Web Help Desk: hardcoded credential ·
  • CVE-2024-3272, D-Link Multiple NAS Devices: use of hard-coded credentials ·

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Acclaim Systems USAHERDS Use of Hard-Coded Credentials Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 23 Dec 2024.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2021-44207 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 21 Dec 2021.
  3. ^ Acclaim Systems. Advisories and fixes: acclaimsystems.com, tnatc.org, acclaimsystems.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.176, percentile 97.1, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2021-44207”. The official CVE record.

This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.