# CVE-2021-21569: Path traversal in NetWorker

> A remote NetWorker server user can exploit a path traversal flaw to access unauthorized information on NetWorker clients.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cvxw-xp9j-7wf4

## What is CVE-2021-21569?

CVE-2021-21569 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Dell NetWorker, published on 28 Sep 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Dell NetWorker, versions 18.x and 19.x contain a Path traversal vulnerability. A NetWorker server user with remote access to NetWorker clients may potentially exploit this vulnerability and gain access to unauthorized information.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-21569?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dell Emc Networker.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-21569?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-21569 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-21569 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21569 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Dell NetWorker

- [CVE-2017-8023](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8023/): EMC Networker Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-11050](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11050/): Information disclosure in Networker (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-21558](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21558/): Information disclosure in NetWorker (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2021-21546](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21546/): Information disclosure in NetWorker (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-24567](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-24567/): Information disclosure in Dell NetWorker, NVE (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-21569 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-21569 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Dell NetWorker, published on 28 Sep 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-21569 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dell NetWorker. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21569/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21569/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-21569
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-21569
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-21569

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21569/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.