CVE-2021-21972

CRITICALNVD 9.89.8—
EchelonGraph scoreHIGH confidence

Score elevated to 9.8 because this CVE is listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03), indicating real-world exploitation has been confirmed by US federal agencies. NVD baseline CVSS 9.8 retained for reference. Confidence: HIGH.

Triggered by: CISA KEV (actively exploited)
Sources: cisa_kev, epss, ghsa, nvd
Exploited in the wild
9.8EG
EchelonGraph verdictPatch nowTreat as an emergency — this is being exploited.
  • Actively exploited in the wild (CISA-KEV)
CISA-KEV: ExploitedEPSS PROB: 100%CVSS: 9.8Exploit: cisa kev · ssvc active · kev ransomware · Metasploit · epss top5pct · epss high · public exploitExposed: 0

No vendor fix yet — apply a workaround or compensating control (WAF / firewall / segmentation) and watch for a patch.

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).

CVSS v3
9.8
EG Score
9.8(high)
EG Risk
99(Act)
EG Risk 99/100SSVC: Act

EG Risk is EchelonGraph's 0–100 priority score: it fuses intrinsic severity with real-world exploitation and automatability so you can rank equal-severity CVEs and fix the most dangerous first. Higher = act sooner. Distinct from the 0–10 EG Score (severity).

How it’s computed
Severity98% × 45%
Exploitation100% × 40%
Automatability100% × 15%
Action: Fix now — active exploitation, automatable, high impact.
EPSS PROB
100%
EPSS %ILE
100%
KEV
⚠ Exploited

Published

February 24, 2021

Last Modified

August 12, 2026

Advisory Details (5)

Auto-updated Sep 16, 2026
⚠️ Active exploitation confirmed. Patch available. Sources: cisa.
cisa Patch Available🔴 Active Exploitation

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog | CISA

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog | CISA. Listed in CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-21972
generic

Support Content Notification - Support Portal - Broadcom support portal

https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0002.html
generic

Locked Out | Packet Storm

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163268/VMware-vCenter-6.5-6.7-7.0-Remote-Code-Execution.html
generic

Locked Out | Packet Storm

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161695/VMware-vCenter-Server-File-Upload-Remote-Code-Execution.html
generic

Locked Out | Packet Storm

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161590/VMware-vCenter-Server-7.0-Arbitrary-File-Upload.html

Weakness Classification(2)

MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration — the root-cause categories this CVE belongs to.

Data Freshness Timeline

(refreshed 44× in last 7d / 189× in last 30d)

Each row is a source pipeline that fetched or updated this CVE on that date, with what changed. For example, "NVD update" means NVD published or revised its analysis for this CVE; "MITRE cvelistV5" means we ingested or refreshed it from the CNA feed. Most recent first.

Showing the most recent 100 of 728 total refreshes for this CVE.

  1. 2026-09-21 01:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  2. 2026-09-20 21:08 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-09-20 16:58 UTCGHSA enrichment
  4. 2026-09-20 12:48 UTCGHSA enrichment
  5. 2026-09-20 08:38 UTCGHSA enrichment
  6. 2026-09-20 04:28 UTCGHSA enrichment
  7. 2026-09-20 00:18 UTCGHSA enrichment
  8. 2026-09-19 20:08 UTCGHSA enrichment
  9. 2026-09-19 15:58 UTCGHSA enrichment
  10. 2026-09-19 11:48 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-09-19 07:37 UTCGHSA enrichment
  12. 2026-09-19 03:26 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-09-18 23:16 UTCGHSA enrichment
  14. 2026-09-18 19:20 UTCCISA KEV update
  15. 2026-09-18 19:07 UTCGHSA enrichment
  16. 2026-09-18 14:57 UTCGHSA enrichment
  17. 2026-09-18 14:15 UTCCISA KEV update
  18. 2026-09-18 10:47 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-09-18 06:37 UTCGHSA enrichment
  20. 2026-09-18 02:27 UTCGHSA enrichment
  21. 2026-09-17 22:17 UTCGHSA enrichment
  22. 2026-09-17 18:06 UTCGHSA enrichment
  23. 2026-09-17 13:56 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-17 09:46 UTCGHSA enrichment
  25. 2026-09-17 05:36 UTCGHSA enrichment
Show 75 more
  1. 2026-09-17 01:26 UTCGHSA enrichment
  2. 2026-09-16 21:16 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-09-16 17:05 UTCGHSA enrichment
  4. 2026-09-16 14:10 UTCCISA KEV update
  5. 2026-09-16 12:55 UTCGHSA enrichment
  6. 2026-09-16 08:45 UTCGHSA enrichment
  7. 2026-09-16 04:34 UTCGHSA enrichment
  8. 2026-09-16 00:24 UTCGHSA enrichment
  9. 2026-09-15 20:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  10. 2026-09-15 16:01 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-09-15 11:51 UTCGHSA enrichment
  12. 2026-09-15 07:41 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-09-15 03:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  14. 2026-09-14 23:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  15. 2026-09-14 19:24 UTCCISA KEV update
  16. 2026-09-14 19:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  17. 2026-09-14 15:01 UTCGHSA enrichment
  18. 2026-09-14 10:51 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-09-14 06:41 UTCGHSA enrichment
  20. 2026-09-14 02:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  21. 2026-09-13 22:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  22. 2026-09-13 18:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  23. 2026-09-13 14:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  24. 2026-09-13 09:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  25. 2026-09-13 05:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  26. 2026-09-13 01:30 UTCGHSA enrichment
  27. 2026-09-12 21:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  28. 2026-09-12 17:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  29. 2026-09-12 13:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  30. 2026-09-12 08:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  31. 2026-09-12 04:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  32. 2026-09-12 00:30 UTCGHSA enrichment
  33. 2026-09-11 20:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  34. 2026-09-11 18:49 UTCCISA KEV update
  35. 2026-09-11 16:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  36. 2026-09-11 12:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  37. 2026-09-11 07:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  38. 2026-09-11 03:40 UTCGHSA enrichment
  39. 2026-09-10 23:29 UTCGHSA enrichment
  40. 2026-09-10 19:28 UTCCISA KEV update
  41. 2026-09-10 19:19 UTCGHSA enrichment
  42. 2026-09-10 15:09 UTCGHSA enrichment
  43. 2026-09-10 10:59 UTCEG score recompute
  44. 2026-09-10 10:59 UTCGHSA enrichment
  45. 2026-09-10 09:29 UTCEPSS rescore
  46. 2026-09-10 06:48 UTCGHSA enrichment
  47. 2026-09-10 02:38 UTCGHSA enrichment
  48. 2026-09-09 22:27 UTCGHSA enrichment
  49. 2026-09-09 19:08 UTCCISA KEV update
  50. 2026-09-09 18:15 UTCGHSA enrichment
  51. 2026-09-09 14:04 UTCGHSA enrichment
  52. 2026-09-09 09:52 UTCGHSA enrichment
  53. 2026-09-09 05:42 UTCGHSA enrichment
  54. 2026-09-09 01:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  55. 2026-09-08 21:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  56. 2026-09-08 18:54 UTCCISA KEV update
  57. 2026-09-08 17:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  58. 2026-09-08 12:56 UTCGHSA enrichment
  59. 2026-09-08 08:42 UTCGHSA enrichment
  60. 2026-09-08 04:29 UTCGHSA enrichment
  61. 2026-09-08 00:19 UTCGHSA enrichment
  62. 2026-09-07 20:09 UTCGHSA enrichment
  63. 2026-09-07 15:59 UTCGHSA enrichment
  64. 2026-09-07 11:48 UTCGHSA enrichment
  65. 2026-09-07 07:36 UTCGHSA enrichment
  66. 2026-09-07 03:23 UTCGHSA enrichment
  67. 2026-09-06 23:11 UTCGHSA enrichment
  68. 2026-09-06 19:01 UTCGHSA enrichment
  69. 2026-09-06 14:51 UTCGHSA enrichment
  70. 2026-09-06 10:41 UTCGHSA enrichment
  71. 2026-09-06 06:32 UTCGHSA enrichment
  72. 2026-09-06 02:21 UTCGHSA enrichment
  73. 2026-09-05 22:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  74. 2026-09-05 17:59 UTCGHSA enrichment
  75. 2026-09-05 13:49 UTCGHSA enrichment

Publicly available exploits

(10 references)

Working exploit code is in the public domain (8 GitHub PoCs) (2 Exploit-DB entries). Defenders should treat patch urgency accordingly — public PoCs typically lead to mass-exploitation within 24-72 hours.

  • GitHub PoCSchira4396/VcenterKiller
    First seen Oct 4, 2022

    一款针对Vcenter的综合利用工具，包含目前最主流的CVE-2021-21972、CVE-2021-21985以及CVE-2021-22005、One Access的CVE-2022-22954、CVE-2022-22972/31656以及log4j，提供一键上传webshell，命令执行或者上传公钥使用SSH免密连接

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCorangmuda/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Oct 3, 2021

    CVE-2021-21972 – ᴠᴍᴡᴀʀᴇ ᴄʟɪᴇɴᴛ ᴜɴᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴅᴇ ɪɴᴊᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ (ʀᴄᴇ)

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoChaidv35/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Jul 26, 2021
    Open source ↗
  • Exploit-DBEDB-50056
    First seen Jun 24, 2021

    VMware vCenter Server 7.0 - Remote Code Execution (RCE) (Unauthenticated)

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCpettyhacks/vSphereyeeter
    First seen Apr 22, 2021

    POC exploit for CVE-2021-21972

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCTaroballzChen/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Mar 7, 2021

    CVE-2021-21972 Unauthorized RCE in VMware vCenter metasploit exploit script

    Open source ↗
  • Exploit-DBEDB-49602
    First seen Mar 1, 2021

    VMware vCenter Server 7.0 - Unauthenticated File Upload

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCGuayoyoCyber/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Feb 26, 2021

    Nmap script to check vulnerability CVE-2021-21972

    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCalt3kx/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Feb 25, 2021
    Open source ↗
  • GitHub PoCmilo2012/CVE-2021-21972
    First seen Feb 25, 2021

    CVE-2021-21972

    Open source ↗

Related CVEs(same CWE)

Frequently asked(6)

What is CVE-2021-21972?
CVE-2021-21972 is a critical vulnerability published on February 24, 2021. 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…
When was CVE-2021-21972 disclosed?
CVE-2021-21972 was first published in the National Vulnerability Database on February 24, 2021, with the most recent update on August 12, 2026. EchelonGraph re-ingests CVE updates from NVD on a 2-hour cycle, so this page reflects the latest published state.
Is CVE-2021-21972 actively exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2021-21972 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on November 3, 2021, affecting VMware vCenter Server. KEV listing indicates confirmed exploitation in the wild; this CVE warrants immediate patching attention.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-21972?
CVE-2021-21972 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8 (NVD).
Which products are affected by CVE-2021-21972?
CVE-2021-21972 affects VMware vCenter Server. The full affected-products list, including version ranges and fixed versions, is shown in the Affected Packages section of this page.
How do I remediate CVE-2021-21972?
Patch to the fixed version published by the affected vendor. Where vendor advisories exist for CVE-2021-21972, EchelonGraph cross-links them in the Vendor Advisories panel below — those typically contain the canonical remediation steps, fixed version numbers, and any vendor-specific mitigations.

Dependency Blast Radius

Explore the affected products and dependency analysis for CVE-2021-21972

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