CISA KEV High File handling exploit reference

CVE-2021-43798 — Grafana Path Traversal Vulnerability

Grafana is an open-source platform for monitoring and observability. Grafana versions 8.0.0-beta1 through 8.3.0 (except for patched versions) iss vulnerable to directory traversal, allowing access to local files. The vulnerable URL path is: `<grafana_host_url>/public/plugins//`, where is the plugin ID for any installed plugin. At no time has Grafana Cloud been vulnerable. Users are advised to upgrade to patched versions 8.0.7, 8.1.8, 8.2.7, or 8.3.1. The GitHub Security Advisory contains more information about vulnerable URL paths, mitigation, and the disclosure timeline.

Published Dec 7, 2021 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Sources: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP, GitHub Security Advisories, NIST National Vulnerability Database · CNA: GitHub_M

Urgent

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

CISA KEV · Oct 9, 2025 Detection templates (Nuclei) · 1 Metasploit modules · 1 Exploit-DB · 1 Proofs of concept on GitHub · 60

How the score was calculated

Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
Public exploit/PoC (nuclei, metasploit, exploitdb, github)+20
EPSS 88.5% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
Technical severity (high)+6
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.

Exploitation

Confirmed

CISA KEV, listed Oct 9, 2025

EPSS FIRST

88.5%

ahead of 100% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026

Affects

Grafana

Grafana and 1 more

CVSS base

7.5

High · 4 source(s)

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.

Exploitation

Active

none · proof-of-concept · active

Automatable

Yes

can an attacker script the kill-chain steps

Technical impact

Partial

partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

Documented patch — www.openwall.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
Documented patch — www.openwall.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
Go Github.com/grafana/grafana: fixed in version 8.3.1 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
Go Github.com/grafana/grafana: fixed in version 8.2.7 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
Go Github.com/grafana/grafana: fixed in version 8.1.8 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
Go Github.com/grafana/grafana: fixed in version 8.0.7 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)

CISA required action CISA

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

US federal deadline: Oct 30, 2025 — passed 350 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 (Grafana Grafana, Go Github.com/grafana/grafana).
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
Grafana	Grafana	version >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.7version >= 8.1.0, < 8.1.8version >= 8.2.0, < 8.2.7version = 8.3.0	Vulnerable	CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Grafana	Grafana	≥ 8.0.1 and < 8.0.7≥ 8.1.0 and < 8.1.8≥ 8.2.0 and < 8.2.7version 8.0.0-beta1version 8.0.0-beta2version 8.0.0-beta3version 8.3.0	Vulnerable	NIST National Vulnerability Database
Go	Github.com/grafana/grafana	≥ 8.3.0 and < 8.3.1≥ 8.2.0 and < 8.2.7≥ 8.1.0 and < 8.1.8≥ 8.0.0-beta1 and < 8.0.7	Vulnerable	GitHub Security Advisories

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector

Network

Attack complexity

Low

Privileges required

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

None

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
7.5	CVSS 3.1	High	3.9	3.6	security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
7.5	CVSS 3.1	High	—	—	GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories
7.5	CVSS 3.1	High	—	—	GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
5.0	CVSS 2.0	Medium	10.0	2.9	nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-22 · Path Traversal

Other CVEs with this weakness →

CISA KEV details CISA

CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.

Listed

Oct 9, 2025

Federal deadline

Oct 30, 2025

passed 350 day(s) ago

Ransomware use

Unknown

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.

Detection templates (Nuclei)

Grafana v8.x - Arbitrary File Read

Metasploit modules

Grafana Plugin Path Traversal normal Dec 2, 2021

Exploit-DB

Grafana 8.3.0 - Directory Traversal and Arbitrary File Read Dec 9, 2021

Proofs of concept on GitHub — 60 repositories; showing the 10 most starred

Grafana Unauthorized arbitrary file reading vulnerability ★ 369 Dec 7, 2021
A exploit tool for Grafana Unauthorized arbitrary file reading vulnerability (CVE-2021-43798), it can burst plugins / extract secret_key / decrypt data_source info automatic. ★ 270 Dec 7, 2021
This is a proof-of-concept exploit for Grafana's Unauthorized Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability (CVE-2021-43798). ★ 46 Dec 11, 2021
CVE-2021-43798 - Grafana 8.x Path Traversal (Pre-Auth) ★ 43 Dec 6, 2021
Grafana Arbitrary File Reading Vulnerability ★ 27 Dec 7, 2021
CVE-2021-43798:Grafana 任意文件读取漏洞 ★ 24 Dec 7, 2021
grafana CVE-2021-43798任意文件读取漏洞POC，采用多插件轮训检测的方法，允许指定单URL和从文件中读取URL ★ 17 Dec 8, 2021
CVE-2021-43798 Grafana 任意文件读取漏洞 POC+参数 ★ 14 Dec 7, 2021
Grafanav8.*版本任意文件读取漏洞批量检测工具：该漏洞目前为0day漏洞，未授权的攻击者利用该漏洞，能够获取服务器敏感文件。 ★ 12 Dec 7, 2021
Grafana-POC任意文件读取漏洞(CVE-2021-43798) ★ 9 Dec 9, 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 12, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 88.50%

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 Oct 9, 2025 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.

web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPSfile integrity (FIM)endpoint telemetry (EDR)

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

2026
Fix documented
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Affected products added · grafana/grafana
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Source status changed · Published → Analyzed
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
Fix documented
Oct 13, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
Affected products added · go/github.com/grafana/grafana
Oct 13, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
Record published
Oct 13, 2026
Affected products added · grafana/grafana
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS changed · 7.5
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Source status changed · → Published
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
SSVC assessment updated
Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Added to CISA KEV (detected)
Oct 13, 2026 · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Record created in this database
Oct 13, 2026 · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
2025
Added to CISA KEV catalog
Oct 8, 2025 · CISA
2021
CVE published
Dec 7, 2021 · GitHub_M

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

13 on the record

grafana.com/blog/2021/12/08/an-update-on-0day-cve-2021-43798-grafana-directory-tr
x_refsource_CONFIRM, Vendor Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
github.com/grafana/grafana/commit/c798c0e958d15d9cc7f27c72113d572fa58545ce
x_refsource_MISC, Patch, Third Party Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/09/2
mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/12/10/4
mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
github.com/grafana/grafana/security/advisories/GHSA-8pjx-jj86-j47p
x_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Vendor Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
US Government Resource, GitHub Security Advisories
grafana.com/blog/2021/12/08/an-update-on-0day-cve-2021-43798-grafana-directory-tr
GitHub Security Advisories
security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211229-0004/
x_refsource_CONFIRM, Third Party Advisory, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
packetstormsecurity.com/files/165198/Grafana-Arbitrary-File-Reading.html
x_refsource_MISC, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
packetstormsecurity.com/files/165221/Grafana-8.3.0-Directory-Traversal-Arbitrary-File-Read.ht
x_refsource_MISC, Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43798
GitHub Security Advisories
security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211229-0004
GitHub Security Advisories
github.com/advisories/GHSA-8pjx-jj86-j47p
GitHub Security Advisories

Elsewhere on this site

Grafana
every CVE for this vendor

2025-10
what else CISA listed that month

File handling
same class

CWE-22
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

High CVE-2026-8609 Pre-authentication denial of service via the OAuth login route Jul 10, 2026
Medium CVE-2026-8595 Stored XSS in the table panel (TableNG) Jul 10, 2026
High CVE-2026-33382 Denial of service via unbounded request body size Jul 10, 2026
Low CVE-2026-28378 Cross-Organization Public Dashboard Deletion via Missing Org Isolation Jul 7, 2026
High CVE-2026-42127 Pre-authentication denial of service in the public dashboard query endpoint Jun 22, 2026
Medium CVE-2026-9029 Stored XSS in the Geomap panel tile-layer attribution Jun 22, 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-2021-43798 is "Grafana Path Traversal Vulnerability", rated High. It affects Grafana (Grafana); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 88.50% 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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