CVE-2021-22017 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 Jan 24, 2022
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 Improper Access Control
- Product
- VMware vCenter Server
- CISA description
- Rhttproxy as used in vCenter Server contains a vulnerability due to improper implementation of URI normalization.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-23)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 10, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Jan 24, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2021-22017 ·
Questions about CVE-2021-22017
Is CVE-2021-22017 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-22017 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 10, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2021-22017?
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-2021-22017?
Only if you use VMware vCenter Server. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.