CVE-2021-42542Network attack vector

Authenticated directory traversal via crafted backup structure

Published Oct 22, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Path traversal in Emerson WirelessHART Gateway firmware before 4.7.94 allows remote authenticated users to escape the backup directory. The backup handler accepts a supplied folder structure without keeping the resulting path inside the intended backup directory. Low-privileged network access and user interaction are required; CISA links the advisory's flaws collectively, not this CVE alone, to root-level arbitrary writes and code execution.

CVSS severity8.0
High
EPSS probability1.48%
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 Emerson WirelessHART Gateway firmware before 4.7.94 allows remote authenticated users to escape the backup directory. The backup handler accepts a supplied folder structure without keeping the resulting path inside the intended backup directory. Low-privileged network access and user interaction are required; CISA links the advisory's flaws collectively, not this CVE alone, to root-level arbitrary writes and code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-42542
Published
Oct 22, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-22
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 22, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.0CISA ICS-CERTCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

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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