CVE-2021-43835Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via unrestricted profile API fields

Published Dec 15, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper privilege management in Sulu 2.0.0 through 2.2.17 and 2.3.0 through 2.3.7 allows remote authenticated users to elevate privileges. ProfileController::putAction forwards every profile API field to userManager::save, allowing permission fields to bypass the account's existing authorization scope. Access to any portion of the Admin UI is required, and successful exploitation grants access to additional protected areas according to the assigned permissions.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability1.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in Sulu 2.0.0 through 2.2.17 and 2.3.0 through 2.3.7 allows remote authenticated users to elevate privileges. ProfileController::putAction forwards every profile API field to userManager::save, allowing permission fields to bypass the account's existing authorization scope. Access to any portion of the Admin UI is required, and successful exploitation grants access to additional protected areas according to the assigned permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-43835
Published
Dec 15, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Sulu
Product
Sulu
Classifications
CWE-269, CWE-286, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 15, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=>= 2.0.0, < 2.2.18
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Sulu · Suluversion=>= 2.0.0, < 2.2.18; version=>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.8

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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-269Improper Privilege Management
CWE-286Incorrect User Management
T1098Account Manipulation

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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