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Fencer Intel
critical 9.8

CVE-2021-22005 kev+ ransomware in the critical feed json

The vCenter Server contains an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Analytics service.

published 5y ago modified 4mo ago also EUVD-2021-9174

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Exploited
added 2021-11-03, used in ransomware
epss
100.0%
EPSS 100.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99.9%
public exploits
1
Metasploit, plus a Nuclei check

Summary

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.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  • vmware cloud_foundation 5.0

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Timeline

  1. First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/linux/http/vmware_vcenter_analytics_file_upload)
  2. Published
  3. Added to CISA KEV
  4. CISA patch deadline
  5. CISA SSVC: exploitation active

Known exploited

Added
5y ago
Patch by
2021-11-17 (4y ago)
Ransomware
Known to be used in ransomware campaigns
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product
VMware, vCenter Server
CISA name
VMware vCenter Server File Upload Vulnerability

Ransomware

Groups reported to have exploited it in intrusions.

  • Conti ransomware gang

reported by tenable.com

Ransomware Vulnerability Matrix by BushidoUK (github.com/BushidoUK/Ransomware-Vulnerability-Matrix), reformatted per CVE. CC BY 4.0

ATT&CK techniques

How it is exploited and what it leads to, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

  • T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application exploitation
  • T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter primary impact

kev release 2025-07-28, att&ck v16.1. KEV to ATT&CK mappings by the MITRE Center for Threat-Informed Defense (Mappings Explorer, Apache-2.0). © 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. Terms of use

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total
Assessed
last yr.

Exploit prediction

100.00% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

Exploits and checks

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CISA ADP 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.5 AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

  • n/a VMware vCenter Server, VMware Cloud Foundation

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.