CVE-2021-33102 - What Happened, Why It Was Rejected, and How to Interpret “Unused” CVEs

The world of cybersecurity is full of fast-moving discoveries, but not every Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) identifier leads to a hair-raising exploit or a critical patch. CVE-2021-33102 is a prime example—a CVE ID that stirs up questions, but ultimately ends up labeled as “REJECTED.” What does that mean for researchers, security teams, and regular users? Let’s break it down in simple terms and give you everything you need to know—no complicated jargon.

The Quick Story: CVE-2021-33102

CVE-2021-33102 was assigned as part of the regular process for tracking potential software vulnerabilities. When someone suspects a security weakness in software, they can report it to a CVE Numbering Authority (CNA). The CNA quickly assigns a CVE identifier (in this case, 2021-33102) to keep records clean and distinct while the details are sorted out.

But sometimes, investigations show there’s no vulnerability after all—maybe it was a false alarm, a duplicate, a mistake, or just something that never makes it to publication. In those cases, the CVE is rejected. That’s what happened here.

Official Reference

Here’s the real (and very brief) MITRE CVE record for CVE-2021-33102:

CVE-2021-33102 has been rejected.

Reason: This candidate has been rejected by its CNA. Further investigation showed that this issue is "THIS IS UNUSED."

What About Exploits or Proof-of-Concepts?

Because CVE-2021-33102 is unused, there is no exploit or proof-of-concept code out in the wild. If you see any sample code claiming otherwise, it's either referencing a different vulnerability or is meaningless in this context.

Here’s a typical code snippet you won’t find for this CVE

# Sorry! No exploit - this CVE is unused and was rejected.
print("CVE-2021-33102 has no exploit – it's not a real vulnerability.")

Why Should You Care About Rejected CVEs?

It’s easy to get spooked by long lists of CVE identifiers. If you ever see CVE-2021-33102 in a security tool, an audit report, or online, you now know:

Put your time and effort towards issues that are confirmed and open.

Pro Tip: Always double-check the official CVE record or the NIST NVD entry before reacting to alarming headlines or vendor lists.

Should I Remove it from My Vulnerability Management Tools?

Yes. If your scanner or dashboard still flags CVE-2021-33102, update your signatures and filtering rules. Keeping rejected or unused CVEs in reports only causes confusion and wastes time.

What If Someone Claims to Have an Exploit?

Check the details carefully! Since this CVE is REJECTED and UNUSED, any such claim is either a scam, a misunderstanding, or a reference to some other vulnerability. Always verify any alerts or advisories using primary sources like MITRE's CVE Search or the NIST NVD.

Conclusion

Not every CVE tells a dramatic story. CVE-2021-33102 is a quiet one—assigned, reviewed, and quickly marked as “unused.” But understanding how to read these references keeps you focused on real threats and stops you from chasing ghosts in your vulnerability reports.

Key Takeaway:

If you see CVE-2021-33102, you can safely ignore it. There’s no bug, no exploit, and nothing to worry about.

Timeline

Published on: 02/23/2024 21:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 09/04/2025 00:40:32 UTC