CVE-2021-22017

VMware vCenter Server: Improper Access Control

As of , CVE-2021-22017 in VMware vCenter Server is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch soon.

Exploited
Yes: CISA listed it on 10 January 2022
US federal deadline
24 January 202214 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
Used in ransomware campaigns
Not known to CISA
EPSS score
0.49Higher than 98% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
EPSS when listed
Not availableCISA listed it before 4 February 2022, where the EPSS files we read begin.
Public exploit
None foundNeither Metasploit nor Exploit-DB lists one.
Fix
No vendor link in CISA's entry

What CISA says to do

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA's required action

What the flaw is

Rhttproxy as used in vCenter Server contains a vulnerability due to improper implementation of URI normalization.

CISA's description

Rhttproxy as used in vCenter Server contains a vulnerability due to improper implementation of URI normalization. A malicious actor with network access to port 443 on vCenter Server may exploit this issue to bypass proxy leading to internal endpoints being accessed.

The CVE record's description, from vmware

CVE published
23 September 2021
Assigned by
vmware
CVSS
5.3 Medium (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
CWE-23
Relative Path Traversal
CISA SSVC, exploitation
active
CISA SSVC, automatable
yes
CISA SSVC, technical impact
partial

Timeline

  1. The CVE record was published.
  2. CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
  3. The US federal deadline to fix it.

vCenter Server: other exploited entries

VulnerabilityProductOur groupListedDeadlineEPSS
CVE-2020-3952Information DisclosureVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.900.90
CVE-2021-21972Remote Code ExecutionVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.990.99
CVE-2021-21985Improper Input ValidationVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.990.99
CVE-2021-22005File UploadVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekRansomware use; Metasploit module; EPSS 0.990.99
CVE-2022-22948Incorrect Default File PermissionsVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekMetasploit module0.13
CVE-2023-34048Out-of-Bounds WriteVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekEPSS 0.990.99
CVE-2024-38812Heap-Based Buffer OverflowVMware vCenter ServerPatch this weekEPSS 0.550.55
CVE-2024-38813Privilege EscalationVMware vCenter ServerPatch soon0.17

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