AEGLIX vulnerability intelligence
CVE-2021-21972
CRITICAL · CVSS 9.8 · Analyzed
Published: 2021-02-24 · Updated: 2026-08-12 · Source: NVD
Vulnerability overview
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).
Severity and scoring
- CVSS score
- 9.8 · CRITICAL
- CVSS version
- 3.1
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weaknesses
- CWE-22
CVSS measures technical severity; it does not establish whether this vulnerability is being exploited in your environment.
Known exploitation and remediation
Listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
- Affected product
- VMware · vCenter Server
- Added to catalog
- 2021-11-03
- Required action
- Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- CISA remediation due date
- 2021-11-17
CISA deadlines apply to the organizations covered by its directives. Confirm your own remediation requirements.
Verify affected versions and patch availability in the vendor advisory before making changes.
Affected products and versions
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:cloud_foundation:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
From (inclusive): 3.0
Before (exclusive): 3.10.1.2
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:cloud_foundation:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
From (inclusive): 4.0
Before (exclusive): 4.2
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:a:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:c:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:e:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:f:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1e:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1g:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2g:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3f:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3k:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:a:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3a:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3f:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3g:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3j:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:a:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:b:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:c:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:d:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1a:*:*:*:*:*:*
These are NVD CPE applicability entries. Some products depend on configuration conditions; consult the official record to confirm applicability.
Advisories and references
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161590/VMware-vCenter-Server-7.0-Arbitrary-File-Upload.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161695/VMware-vCenter-Server-File-Upload-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163268/VMware-vCenter-6.5-6.7-7.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0002.html
Vendor Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161590/VMware-vCenter-Server-7.0-Arbitrary-File-Upload.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161695/VMware-vCenter-Server-File-Upload-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163268/VMware-vCenter-6.5-6.7-7.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0002.html
Vendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-21972
US Government Resource