CVE-2021-25252: Trend Micro's Virus Scan API (VSAPI) and Advanced Threat Scan Engine (ATSE) - are vulnerable to a memory exhaustion vulnerability that may l

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

• trendmicro apex central2019
• trendmicro apex oneall versions
• trendmicro apex one2019
• trendmicro cloud edge5.0
• trendmicro control manager7.0
• trendmicro deep discovery analyzer5.1
• trendmicro deep discovery email inspector2.5
• trendmicro deep discovery inspector3.8
• trendmicro deep security10.0
• trendmicro deep security11.0
• trendmicro deep security12.0
• trendmicro deep security20.0
• trendmicro interscan messaging security virtual appliance9.1
• trendmicro interscan web security virtual appliance6.5
• trendmicro officescanall versions
• trendmicro portal protect2.6
• trendmicro safe lock1.1
• trendmicro scanmail14.0
• trendmicro scanmail for ibm domino5.8
• trendmicro serverprotect5.8

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (trendmicro). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

• Trend Micro Trend Micro Virus Scan API (VSAPI) Engine

  • 12.0affected

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

• CVE-2022-26871An arbitrary file upload vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex Central could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to upload an arbitrary filKEV
  75This week
• CVE-2025-69258A LoadLibraryEX vulnerability in Trend Micro Apex Central could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to load an attacker-controlled DLL
  40Plan
• CVE-2025-49220An insecure deserialization operation in Trend Micro Apex Central below version 8.0.7007 could lead to a pre-authentication remote code exec
  40Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

• Later →CVE-2023-32529Jun 26, 2023 · Vulnerable modules of Trend Micro Apex Central (on-premise) contain vulnerabilities which would allow authenticated users to perform a SQL i
  36Monitor
• Later →CVE-2023-32530Jun 26, 2023 · Vulnerable modules of Trend Micro Apex Central (on-premise) contain vulnerabilities which would allow authenticated users to perform a SQL i
  36Monitor
• Later →CVE-2023-32531Jun 26, 2023 · Certain dashboard widgets on Trend Micro Apex Central (on-premise) are vulnerable to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks that may allow an at
  25Monitor

Root cause

Code that parses nested structures sets no depth or size limit. A small input can turn into a disproportionate processing load.

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

1function expand(node) {2  return node.children.map(expand);3}

1const MAX_DEPTH = 32;2function expand(node, depth = 0) {3  if (depth > MAX_DEPTH) throw new Error("too deep");4  return node.children.map((c) => expand(c, depth + 1));5}

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.