CVE-2021-22013Network attack vector

Unauthenticated file disclosure via path traversal

Published Sep 23, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Path traversal in the appliance management API in VMware vCenter Server 6.5 allows remote attackers to read sensitive files over port 443. The API fails to constrain a requested file path to its intended directory, allowing traversal into sensitive appliance locations. No authentication or user interaction is required; network reachability to port 443 is sufficient, and the reported impact is file disclosure only.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.65%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in the appliance management API in VMware vCenter Server 6.5 allows remote attackers to read sensitive files over port 443. The API fails to constrain a requested file path to its intended directory, allowing traversal into sensitive appliance locations. No authentication or user interaction is required; network reachability to port 443 is sufficient, and the reported impact is file disclosure only.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22013
Published
Sep 23, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware vCenter Server
Classifications
CWE-22, T1190, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 23, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=VMware vCenter Server 6.5 before 6.5 U3q

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VMware vCenter Serverversion=VMware vCenter Server 6.5 before 6.5 U3q

Published CVSS scores

5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application
T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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