CVE-2021-22005 — VMware vCenter Server File Upload Vulnerability
The vCenter Server contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Analytics service. A malicious actor with network access to port 443 on vCenter Server may exploit this issue to execute code on vCenter Server by uploading a specially crafted file.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- Used in ransomware campaigns (CISA)+10
- Public exploit/PoC (nuclei, metasploit, github)+20
- EPSS 100% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (critical)+10
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — www.vmware.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: Nov 17, 2021 — passed 1793 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Vmware Cloud Foundation, Vmware Vcenter Server).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- EPSS ahead of 100% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (file handling), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vmware | Cloud Foundation | ≥ 3.0 and < 5.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Vmware | Vcenter Server | version 6.5version 6.7version 7.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 7.5 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 10.0 | 6.4 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates
Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.
- VMware vCenter Server Analytics (CEIP) Service File Upload excellent Sep 21, 2021
- shmilylty/cve-2021-22005-exp ★ 194 Dec 18, 2021
- rwincey/CVE-2021-22005 ★ 37 Sep 28, 2021
- the metasploit script(POC/EXP) about CVE-2021-22005 VMware vCenter Server contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability ★ 22 Oct 2, 2021
- VMware vCenter Server任意文件上传漏洞 / Code By:Jun_sheng ★ 21 Oct 27, 2021
- CVE-2021-22005批量验证python脚本 ★ 13 Sep 25, 2021
- 1ZRR4H/CVE-2021-22005 ★ 8 Sep 23, 2021
- tiagob0b/CVE-2021-22005 ★ 2 Oct 24, 2021
- pisut4152/Sigma-Rule-for-CVE-2021-22005-scanning-activity ★ 1 Sep 23, 2021
- CVE-2021-22005_PoC ★ 1 Sep 27, 2021
- CVE-2021-22005 ★ 0 Sep 24, 2021
Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 100.00%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Monitor file creation in web directories and paths with traversal sequences (../).
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Nov 3, 2021 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · vmware/cloud foundation, vmware/vcenter server
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2021
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
5 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-59310 Broadcom VMware vCenter Path Traversal Vulnerability KEV Jul 30, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-41722 VMSA-2026-0004: VMware Cloud Foundation Operations updates address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-41722, CVE-2026-41723 and CVE-2026-41724) Jun 8, 2026
- High CVE-2026-41723 VMSA-2026-0004: VMware Cloud Foundation Operations updates address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-41722, CVE-2026-41723 and CVE-2026-41724) Jun 8, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-41724 VMSA-2026-0004: VMware Cloud Foundation Operations updates address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-41722, CVE-2026-41723 and CVE-2026-41724) Jun 8, 2026
- High CVE-2026-22721 VMware Aria Operations privilege escalation vulnerability Feb 25, 2026
- Critical CVE-2026-22720 VMware Aria Operations stored cross-site scripting vulnerability Feb 25, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2021-22005 is "VMware vCenter Server File Upload Vulnerability", rated Critical. It affects Cloud Foundation (Vmware); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 100.00% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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