CVE-2021-21972 VMware vCenter Server: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Nov 17, 2021
What to do
- Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- VMware vCenter Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- VMware vCenter Server
- CISA description
- VMware vCenter Server vSphere Client contains a remote code execution vulnerability in a vCenter Server plugin which allows an attacker with network access to port 443 to execute commands with unrestricted privileges on the underlying operating system.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-23)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Nov 17, 2021
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Answering about CVE-2021-21972 ·
Questions about CVE-2021-21972
Is CVE-2021-21972 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-21972 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21972?
Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2021-21972?
Only if you use VMware vCenter Server. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.