{"cveID":"CVE-2021-21972","vendorProject":"VMware","product":"vCenter Server","vulnerabilityName":"VMware vCenter Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","dateAdded":"2021-11-03","shortDescription":"VMware vCenter Server vSphere Client contains a remote code execution vulnerability in a vCenter Server plugin which allows an attacker with network access to port 443 to execute commands with unrestricted privileges on the underlying operating system.","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","dueDate":"2021-11-17","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Known","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21972","cwes":["CWE-23"],"year":2021,"state":"mapped","stale_reasons":[],"mappings":[{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2021-21972","technique":"T1190","technique_name_at_mapping":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","mapping_type":"exploitation_technique","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":" CVE-2021-21972 is a RCE vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter servers. An attacker 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.","references":["https://outpost24.com/blog/attackers-collaborate-to-exploit-cve-2021-21972-and-cve-2021-21973/","https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Advisory%20Further%20TTPs%20associated%20with%20SVR%20cyber%20actors.pdf"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"},{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2021-21972","technique":"T1059","technique_name_at_mapping":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","mapping_type":"primary_impact","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":" CVE-2021-21972 is a RCE vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter servers. An attacker 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.","references":["https://outpost24.com/blog/attackers-collaborate-to-exploit-cve-2021-21972-and-cve-2021-21973/","https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Advisory%20Further%20TTPs%20associated%20with%20SVR%20cyber%20actors.pdf"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1059","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","name_at_mapping":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["primary_impact"],"sigma_rule_count":95,"has_detection_strategy":true},{"id":"T1190","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","name_at_mapping":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["exploitation_technique"],"sigma_rule_count":149,"has_detection_strategy":true}],"mapping_types":["exploitation_technique","primary_impact"],"has_exploitation_technique":true,"mapping_attack_versions":["16.1"],"mapping_domains":["enterprise"],"sigma_coverage":"full","sigma_rules_tagged_cve":["179ed852-0f9b-4009-93a7-68475910fd86"],"added_after_mapping_snapshot":false,"_source":"kevmap","_built":"2026-08-23 05:47 UTC","_attack_version":"19.2"}