CASCACascade Atlas

Evidence dossier

CVE-2021-21985

CVE-2021-21985

84.5–100.0Priority evidence range
As known Jul 19, 2026, 5:00 AM UTCgen-56ccdaf9

Normalized restatement

The vSphere Client (HTML5) contains a remote code execution vulnerability due to lack of input validation in the Virtual SAN Health Check plug-in which is enabled by default in vCenter Server. 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.

State
PUBLISHED
Published
May 26, 2021
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Evidence coverage
72%
CISA KEVCatalog member

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

FIRST EPSS100.00%

2026-07-18 · v2026.06.15 · percentile 100.0%

Source stateConflict visible

Distinct CVSS assessments remain side by side; none are averaged.

Source comparison

Who said what

CISA-ADPindependent enrichment
container

CISA ADP Vulnrichment

CVEderivative copy
container

CVE Program Container

vmwareoriginal assertion
container

The vSphere Client (HTML5) contains a remote code execution vulnerability due to lack of input validation in the Virtual SAN Health Check plug-in which is enabled by default in vCenter Server. 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.

CISA KEVoriginal assertion
observed_exploitation

VMware vCenter Server Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

FIRST EPSSoriginal assertion
model_probability

Probability 0.999990000000; percentile 0.999920000000

Applicability

Cited product scope

Trace impact →
n/aVMware vCenter Server and VMware Cloud Foundation
[{"status": "affected", "version": "VMware vCenter Server (7.x before 7.0 U2b, 6.7 before 6.7 U3n, 6.5 before 6.5 U3p) and VMware Cloud Foundation (4.x before 4.2.1, 3.x before 3.10.2.1)"}]unknown
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:cloud_foundation:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; start including 3.0; end excluding 3.10.2.1supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:cloud_foundation:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; start including 4.0; end excluding 4.2.1supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:e:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:f:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1e:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1g:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2g:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3f:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3k:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3n:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3f:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3g:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3j:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3l:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3m:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:b:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1c:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Assessments

CVSS by origin

9.8
nvd@nist.govCVSS 3.1 · role PrimaryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0
nvd@nist.govCVSS 2.0 · role PrimaryAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
9.8
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0CVSS 3.1 · role SecondaryCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8
CISA-ADPCVSS 3.1 · role unknownCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Limitations and unknowns

  • KEV membership is authoritative for the catalog, not proof of exposure in any environment.
  • EPSS is a dated model probability and not an individual-environment prediction.
  • Affected or fixed status applies only to the exact cited product and version scope; unresolved scope remains unknown.
  • NVD-carried upstream facts remain derivative and are not independent corroboration.
  • Only NVD metrics validated under the generation-bound calculator are Public Priority eligible; direct CVE record metrics remain display-only.
  • NVD CVSS source eligibility is closed: NVD-authored, exact record-source, or registered same-CVE container origin; unmapped sources remain display-only.
  • Factor D is unknown in Public Core because no accepted canonical mapping-obligation ledger is present.
  • Core replay supports the active and immediately prior generation; retrospective valid-at replay is deferred.