CVE-2021-21973 VMware vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation: web page flaw
In plain words: A web app can be made to act on someone's behalf or reach places it should not. Stolen sessions, actions taken as the victim, or access to internal systems.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Mar 21, 2022
What to do
- Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation. 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 and Cloud Foundation Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF) Vulnerability
- Product
- VMware vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation
- CISA description
- VMware vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation Server contain a SSRF vulnerability due to improper validation of URLs in a vCenter Server plugin. This allows for information disclosure.
- Type of flaw
- Web page flaw (CWE-20, CWE-918)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 7, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Mar 21, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2021-21973 ·
Questions about CVE-2021-21973
Is CVE-2021-21973 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-21973 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 7, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2021-21973?
Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation. 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-2021-21973?
Only if you use VMware vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.