CVE-2021-21972
VMware vCenter Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 17 November 2021). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
The vSphere Client (HTML5) contains a remote code execution vulnerability in a vCenter Server plugin. A malicious actor with network access to port 443 may exploit this issue to execute commands with unrestricted privileges on the underlying operating system that hosts vCenter Server. This affects VMware vCenter Server (7.x before 7.0 U1c, 6.7 before 6.7 U3l and 6.5 before 6.5 U3n) and VMware Cloud Foundation (4.x before 4.2 and 3.x before 3.10.1.2).
- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 99.87% probability · 100th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 November 2021 · due 17 November 2021 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Weakness
- CWE-22
- Affected
- vmware/cloud foundation · vmware/vcenter server
- Source
- security@vmware.com
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21972
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161590/VMware-vCenter-Server-7.0-Arbitrary-File-Upload.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161695/VMware-vCenter-Server-File-Upload-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163268/VMware-vCenter-6.5-6.7-7.0-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0002.htmlVendor Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161590/VMware-vCenter-Server-7.0-Arbitrary-File-Upload.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161695/VMware-vCenter-Server-File-Upload-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163268/VMware-vCenter-6.5-6.7-7.0-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0002.htmlVendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-21972US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.